The battle of Point Pleasant; a battle of the revolution, October 10th 1774; biographical sketches of the men who participated

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The Battle of Point Pleasant
A Battle of the Revolution

October I0th, 1774

Biographical Sketches of the
Men Who Participated

By

Mrs. Livia Nye Simpson-Poffenbarger

The State Gazette, Publisher

Point Pleasant, West Virginia

1909

Dedication

This little volume is dedicated to the memory of the brave

•>

colonists who, successful at the battle of Point Pleasant, bad fought
the opening- battle of the Revolution, in preserving- the right arm of
Virginia for the struggle with the Mother Country; thus making-
possible the blessings of liberty we now enjoy as a Nation.

MRS. LIVIA NYE SIMPSON-POFFENBARGER.

E
83/77

Copyright, 1909,

By
Mrs. Livia Nye Simpson-Poffenbarger.

1023986

Battle of Point Pleasant.

Andrew Lewis, who command-
ed the colonial troops in the Bat-
tle of Point Pleasant, October
10, 1774, was the son of John
Lewis and Margaret Lynn Lew-
is, his wife.

John Lewis was of Scotch Irish
descent, having been born in
France, 1673, where his ances-
tors had taken refuge from the
persecution following the assas-
sination of Henry IV. He mar-
ried Margaret Lynn, the daugh-
ter of the "Laird of Loch Lynn, "
of Scotland, and emigrated to
Ireland, thence to America
in 1729, and became the founder
of Staunton, Virginia. Here, he
planted a colony and reared a
family that have given luster to
American History.

Governor Gooch, of Williams-
burg, then the seat of Govern-
ment of Virginia, was the per-
sonal friend of Mrs. Lewis' fath-

er and hence granted her sons,
together with one Benjamin Bur-
den a land warrant for 500,000
acres of land in the James and
Shenandoah Valleys, with the
proviso that they were to locate
one hundred families within ten
years. They induced their
friends from Scotland and the
north of Ireland, and the Scotch
Irish of Pennsylvania, to emi-
grate to Augusta County, Vir-
ginia. In her diary, Mrs. Lewis
says: "It sounded like the gath-
ering of the clans to hear the
names of these settlers viz: Mc-
Kees, McCues, McCampbells,
McClungs, McKouns, Caruthers,
Stuarts, Wallaces, Lyles, Pax-
tons, Prestons andGrisbys."

We quote the following from
the Ohio Archaeological and His-
torical Quarterly, July, 1903, pp.
288, 289, 290 :

"When John Randolph said

that Pennsylvania had produced
but two great men — Benjamin
Franklin, of Massachusetts, and
Albert Gallatin, of Switzerland-
he possibly did not know that the
best blood of his own State was
that of the Scotch-Irish people
who went down from Pennsylva-
nia and settled in the Valley.
He likely did not know that the
great and good Dr. Archibald
Alexander, the founder of Lib-
erty Hall, now Washington and
Lee University (so much loved
by Washington,) the very seat of
culture and power of the Shen-
andoah and James, the greatest
factor of the State's prowess,
was a Pennsylvanian. He possi
bly did not know that Dr. Gra-
ham, the first president ot this
institution, was from Old Pax-
tang; that many of the families
whose names are in the pantheon
of old Dominion achievement, the
families that give Virginia her
prominence ,in the sisterhood of
States, had their American ori-
gin in Pennsylvania — in the
Scotch-Irish reservoir of the
Cumberland Valley — the Mc-
Dowells, the Pattersons, the
McCormacks, Ewings, McCor-
cles, Prestons, McCunqs, Craigs,
McCulloughs, Simpsons, Stew-
arts, Moffats, Irwins, Hunters,
Blairs, Elders, Grahams, Fin-
leys, Trimbles, Rankins, and
hundreds of others, whose
achievements mark the pathway
of the world's progress. John

Randolph possibly did not know
that the first Declaration of In-
dependence by the American
patriots was issued by the mem-
bers of Hanover Church out
there in Dauphin county, when
on June 4th, 1774, they declared
"that in the event Great Britain
attempting to force unjust laws
upon us by the strength of Arms,
our cause we leave to heaven and
our rifles." This declaration
was certainly carried to Meck-
lenburg1 to give the sturdy peo-
ple of that region inspiration for
the strong document issued by
them a year later, and which
gave Jefferson a basis for the
Declaration of 1776. There was
much moving from Pennsylva-
nia into Virginia and North Car-
olina before the Revolution, and
Hanover Presbytery in the Val-
ley was largely made up of peo-
ple from Pennsylvania, whose
petition of ten thousand names
for a free church in a free land,
made in 1785, was the force back
of Jefferson's bill for religious
tolerance, a triumph for freedom
that has always been considered
a Presbyterian victory by the
Scotch-Irish of America.

We know that Dr. Sankey of
Hanover Church was a minister
in Hanover Presbytery, and that
be was followed into Virginia by
large numbers of- the Hanover
congregation, who kept up a con-
stant stream into the Valley. By
the way, two settlements were

made by this congregation in
Ohio. Col. Rogers, Gov. Bush-
nel's secretary, derives his de-
scent from them. The popula-
tion of North Carolina at the out-
break of the Revolution was
largely made up of Scotch-Irish
immigrants from Pennsylvania
and the Virginia Valley who had
a public school system before the
war. These were the people
who stood with the Rev. David
Caldwell on the banks of the Al-
amance May 16th, 1771, and re-
ceived the first volley of shot
fired in the contest for Independ-
ence. This same blood coursed
the veins of the patriot army
with Lewis at Point Pleasant, the
first battle of the Revolutionary
War, fought October 10, 1774,
Lord Dunmore having no doubt
planned the attack by the Indians
to discourage the Americans
from further agitation of the then
pending demand for fair treat-
ment of the American Colonies
at the hands of Great Britian.
It was this blood that coursed
the veins of those courageous
people who, having survived the
Kerr's creek massacre, were
carried to a Shawnee village in
Ohio, and on being bantered to
sing by the Indians in their cruel
sport, sang Rouse's version of
one of the Psalms. "Unappalled
by the bloody scene," says the
Augusta historian, "through
which they had already passed,
and the fearful tortures awaiting

them, within the dark wilderness
of forest, when all hope of rescue
seemed forbidden; undaunted
by the fiendish revelings of their
savage captors, they sang aloud
with the most pious ferver —

"On Babel's stream we sat and wept wbeii

/ion we thought on,
In midst thereof we hanged our harps the

willow trees among.
For then a song required they who did us

captive bring,
Our spoilers called for mirth and said, a

song of /ion sing."

It was this blood that fought
the battle of King's Mountain,
which victory gave the patriots
the courage that is always in
hope; it was the winning force at
Cowpens, at Guilford, where
Rev. Samuel Houston discharged
his rifle fourteen times, once for
each ten minutes of the battle.
These brave hearts were in every
battle of the Revolution, from
Point Pleasant in 1774 to the vic-
tory of Wayne at the Maumee
Rapids twenty years later, for
the War of Independence con-
tinued in the Ohio Country after
the treaty of peace. And yet,
after all this awful struggle to
gain and hold for America the
very heart of the Republic, one
of the gentlemen referred to by
Mr. Randolph wrote pamphlets
in which he derided as murder-
ers the courageous settlers of
our blood on the occasions they
felt it necessary to "remove" In-
dians with their long rifles. Af-
ter all the struggle, he too would
have made an arrangement with

England by which the Ohio river
would have been the boundary
line."

These were the people who in
coming" to America had not only
secured for themselves that per-
sonal religious freedom of a
church without a Bishop and ul-
timately a state without a King,
but they became recruits in the
Army of Andrew Lewis, the hero
of the Battle of Point Pleasant,
and like many of their country-
men, continued in the army,
(those who had not met the fate
of battle,) and became the flower
of Virginia's Colonial Army.

The Status of the Battle of Point
Pleasant.

While the Battle of Point Pleas-
ant has always been conceded to
have been the most terrific con-
flict ever waged between the
white man and the Indian, its full
significance has not been made
the text of American history.
We quote however, from a few
of the American writers, show-
ing their estimate of it.

Roosevelt, in "The Winning- of
the West," Vol. II, chap. 2, says:
"Lord Dunmore's War, waged
by Americans for the good of
America, was the opening- act in
the drama whereof the closing-
scene was played at Yorktown.
It made possible the two fold
character of the Revolutionary
War, wherein on the one hand
the Americans won by conquest

and colonization, new lands for
their children, and on the other
wrought out their national inde-
pendence of the British King."

Kercheval's History of the
Valley, p. 120, says: "Be it re-
membered, then, that this Indian
war was but a portico to our rev-
olutionary war, the fuel for which
was then preparing, and which
burst into a flame, the ensuing-
year. Neither let us forget that
the Earle of Dunmore was at this
time governor of Virginia; and
that he was acquainted with the
views and designs of the British
Cabinet, can scarcely be doubted.
What then, suppose ye, would be
the conduct of a man possessing
his means, filling a high, official
station, attached to the British
government, and master of con-
sumate diplomatic skill."

Dr. John P. Hale, in writing of
the Battle of Point Pleasant,
says, in the History of the Great
Kanawha Valley, Vol. I, pp. 114,
115, "Early in the spring of 1774,
it was evident that the Indians
were combining for aggressive
action. * * * It was decided
that an army of two divisions
should be organized as speedily
as practicable — one to be com-
manded by Gen. Lewis, and the
other by Lord Dunmore, in per-
son. * * * Gen. Lewis'army
rendezvoused at Camp Union
(LewisburgJ about September
1st, and was to March from there
to the mouth of Kanawha; while

Gov. Dunmore was to go the
northwest route, over the Brad-
dock trail, by way of Fort Pitt,
and thence down the Ohio river
and form a junction with Gen.
Lewis at the mouth of Kanawha.

The aggregate
strength of this southern divi-
sion of the army was about elev-
en hundred; the strength of the
northern division, under Lord
Dunmore, was about fifteen hun-
dred. On the llth of September
Gen. Lewis broke camp, and,
with Captain Matthew Arbuckle,
an intelligent and experienced
frontiersman, as pilot, marched
through a pathless wilderness.
They reached Point Pleasant on
the 30th day of September, after
a fatigueing march of nineteen
days. Gen. Lewis for several
days anxiously awaited the arri-
val ot Lord Dunmore, who, by
appointment, was to have joined
him here on the 2nd of October.
Having no intelligence from him,
Lewis dispatched messengers
up the Ohio river to meet him,
or learn what had become of
him.

Before his messengers return-
ed, however three messengers
(probably McCulloch, Kenton
and Girty) arrived at his camp
on Sunday, the 9th of October,
witn orders from Lord Dunmore
to cross the river and meet him
before the Indian towns in Ohio.
This is, substantially, the cur-

rent version of matters: but au-
thorities differ.

Some say the messenger ar-
rived on the night of the 10th,
after the battle was fought;
others say they did not arrive
until the llth, the day after the
battle, and Col. Andrew Lewis,
son of Gen. Andrew Lewis, says
his father received no communi-
cation whatever from Lord Dun-
more after he (Lewis) left camp
Union, until after the battle bad
been fought, and Lewis of his
own motion, had gone on into
Ohio, expecting to join Dunmore
and punish the Indians, when he
received an order to stop and re-
turn to the Point. This order
(by messenger) Lewis disre-
garded, when Lord Dunmore
came in~person, and after a con-
ference and assurances from
Dunmore that he was about
negotiating a 'peace, Lewis re-
luctantly retraced his steps. In
the very excited state of feeling
then existing between the col-
onies and the mother country, It
was but natural that the sympa-
thies of Lord Dunmore, a titled
English nobleman, and holding
his commission as governor of
Virginia at the pleasure of the
crown, should be with his own
country; but it was not only
strongly suspected, but general-
ly charged, that, while he was
yet acting as governor of Vir-
ginia, and before he had declar-
ed himself against the colonies.

6

be was unfairly using1 his posi-
tion and influence to the pre-
judice of his subjects. *
According- to the account of Col.
Stewart, when the interview was
over between Gen. Lewis and
the messengers of Lord Dun-
more, on the 9th, Lewis gave or-
ders to break camp at an early
hour next morning, cross the
river, and take up their march
towards the Indian towns; but
the fates had decreed otherwise.
At the hour for starting-, they
found themselves confronted by
an army of Indian braves, eight
hundred to one thousand strong,
in their war paint, and com-
manded by their able and trust-
ed leaders, Cornstalk, Logan,
Red Hawk, Blue Jacket and
Elinipsico, and some authors
mention two or three others.
Instead of a hard day's march-
ing, Lewis army had a harder
day's fighting — the important,
desperately contested, finally
victorious, and ever-memorable
battle of Point Pleasant. No
"official report" of this battle
has been preserved, or was ever
written, so far as can be learned.
There are several good reasons,
apparently, for this omission.
In the first place, the time, place
and circumstances were not fa-
vorable for preparing a formal
official report. In the second
place, Lord Dunmore, the sup-
erior officer, to whom Gen.
Lewis should, ordinarily, have

reported, was himself in the
field, but a few miles distant,
and Gen. Lewis was expecting
that the two divisions of the
army would be united within a
few days; and, in the third place,
the "strained relations" between
the colonies and the mother
country were such, and the re-
cent action of Gov. Dunmore so
ambiguous, that Gen. Lewis was
probably not inclined to report
to him at all.''

The same author, in the same
volume, at pages 122, 128, 129,
130, 131 and 132, says: "Col.
Stewart, one of the first to write
about the battle, after Arbuckle's
short account, was himself pres-
ent, was well known to Gen.
Lewis (and a relative by mar-
riage), says Gen. Lewis received
a message from Gov. Dunmore,
on the 9th, telling him to cross
the Ohio and join him. Burk,
and others, say the messengers
came after the battle, and men-
tion Simon Kenton and Simon
Girty among the messengers.
Col. Andrew Lewis says his
father received no communica-
tion of any sort from Gov. Dun-
more, until ordered to return
from Ohio. * * * * It has
been stated that there were not
only suspicions, but grave
charges, that Governor Dunmore
acted a double part, and that he
was untrue and treacherous to

the interests of the colon}' he
governed. As he is inseparably
connected with the campaign
(often called the Dimmore War),
and its accompanying history,
and the inauguration of the Rev-
olution, it may be well to briefly
aliudex to his official course just
before, during and after the
campaign that his true relations
to it, and to the colony, may be
understood; and, also, to show-
that the "Revolution" was really
in progress; that this campaign
was one of the important early
moves on the historical chess-
board, and that the battle of
Point Pleasant was, as generally
claimed, the initiatory battle of
the great drama. In the sum-
mer of 1773. Governor Uunmore
made, ostensibly, a pleasure trip
to Fort Pitt; here he establish-
ed close relations with Dr. Con-
nally, making him Indian agent,
land agent, etc. Connally was an
able active and efficient man,
who thereafter adhered to Dun-
more and the English cause. It
is charged that Connally at once
began fomenting trouble and ill-
feeling between the colonies of
Virginia and Pennsylvania in re-
gard to the western frontier of
Pennsylvania, then claimed by
both colonies, but held by Vir-
ginia, hoping by such course to
prevent the friendly co-operation
of these colonies against Eng-
lish designs; and, also to incite
the Indian tribes to resistance

of western white encroachments
upon their hunting grounds, and
prepare the way forgetting their
co-operation with England
againt the colonies, when the
rupture should come. In De-
cember, 1773, the famous "cold-
water tea" was made in Boston
harbor. In retaliation the Eng-
lish government blockaded the
port of boston, and moved the
capital of the colony to Salem.
When this news came, in 1774,
the Virginia assembly, being in
session, passed resolutions of
sympathy with Massachusetts,
and strong disapproval of the
course of England; whereupon
Governor Dunmore peremptori-
ly dissolved the assembly.
They met privately, opened cor-
respondence with the other col-
onies, and proposed co-operation
and a colonial congress. On the
4th of September, 1774, met, in
Philadelphia, the first continen-
tal congress — Peyton Randolph,
of Virginia, president; George
Washington, R. H. Lee, Richard
Bland, Patrick Henry, Benjamin
Harrison and Edmund Pendle-
ton members from Virginia.
They passed strong resolutions;
among others; to resist taxation
and other obnoxious measures;
to raise minute men to forcibly
resist coercion; and, finally resol-
ved to cease all official inter-
course with the English govern-
ment. In the meantime, Dr.
Connally had been carrying out

8

the programme of the northwest.
He had taken possession of the
fort at Fort Pitt, and renamed
it Fort Dunmore; was claiming-
lands under patents from Gov-
ernor Dunmore, and making set-
tlements on them; had been him-
self arrested and imprisoned for
a time by Pennsylvania; had the
Indian tribes highly excited,
united in a strong confederacy
and threatened war; then came
the massacre of Indians above
Wheeling, at Capitina and at Yel-
low creek, said to have grown
out of Connally's orders. While
the continental congress was
passing the resolutions above
mentioned, and which created a
breach between the colonies and
the mother country past healing,
Governor Dunmore and General
Lewis were organizing and
marching their armies to the
west. Instead of uniting the
forces into one army, and march-
ing1 straight to the Indian towns
and conquering or dictating a
lasting peace, Lord Dunmore
took the larger portion of the
army by a long detour by Fort
Pitt, and thence down the Ohio,
picking up on the way Dr. Con-
nally and Simon Girty, whom he
made useful. At Fort Pitt, it
is said, he had held a conference
with some of the Indian chiefs,
and came to some understanding-
with them, the particulars of
which are not known. Instead
of uniting with Lewis at the

mouth of Kanawha, as had been
arranged, but which was proba-
bly not intended, he struck off
from the Ohio river at the mouth
of Hockhocking and marched for
the Indian towns on the Picka-
way plains, without the support
of Lewis army, delaying long
enough for the Indians to have
annihilated Lewis division if
events had turned out as Corn-
stalked had planned. He (Corn-
stalk) said it was first their in-
tention to attack the "Long
Knives" and destroy them, as
they crossed the river, and this
olan would have been carried
out, or attempted, but for the
long delay of Lewis1 awaiting
the arrival of Lord Dunmore.
They afterwards, upon consulta-
tions, changed their plans, and
determined to let Lewis cross
the river and then ambush him
somewhere near their own
homes, and farther from his
(Lewis') base; but the Indians
had no organized commissar)7 or
transportation a r r a n g e m ents,
and could only transport such
amount of food as each brave
could carry for his own susten-
ance; this was necessarily, a lim-
ited amount, and Lewis' delay
in crossing had run their rations
so short that they were obliged
to cross, themselves, and force
a fight, or break camp and go to
hunting food. They crossed in
the night, about three miles
above the Point, on rafts previ-

9

ously constructed, and expected
to take Lewis' army by surprise;
and it will be seen bow near they
came to accomplishing- it. It
was prevented by the accident of
the early hunters, who were out
before daylight, in violation of
orders.

Dr. Campbell says there was
considerable dissatisfaction
in Lewis camp, for some
days before the battle growing
out of the manner of serving the
rations, and especially the beef
rations; the men claimed that
the good and bad beef were not
dealt out impartially. On the
*Jth, Gen. Lewis ordered that the
poorest beeves be killed first,
and distributed to all alike. The
beef was so poor that the rnen
were unwilling to eat it, and, a1-
though'it was positively against
orders to leave camp without
permission, about one hundred
men started out before day, next
morning (the 10th), in different
directions, to hunt and provide
thefr own meat. Many of these
did not get back, nor know of the
battle until night, when it was
all over. This was a serious re-
duction of the army at such a
time.

Col. Andrew Lewis (son of
General Andrew, ) in his account
of the Point Pleasant campaign,
says: ' 'It is known that Blue Jack-
et, a Shawnee Chief, visited Lord
Dunmore's camp, on the 9tb, the
day before the battle, and went

straight from there to the Point,
and some of them went to con-
fer with Lord Dunmore immedi-
ately alter the battle.' It is also
said that Lord Dunmore, in con-
versation with Dr. Connally, and
others, on the 10th, the day of
the battle, remarked that "Lewis
is probably having1 hot work
about this time."

When Lewis had crossed the
river, after the battle, and was
marching- to join Dunmore, a
messenger was dispatched to
him twice in one day, ordering
him to stop and retrace his
steps — the messenger ic each
instance, being the afterward
notorious Simon Girty. Gen.
Lewis bad, very naturally, be-
come much incensed at the con-
duct of Lord Dunmore, and topk
the high-handed responsibility —
advised and sanctioned by his
officers and men — of disobeying
the order of his superior in com-
mand, and boldly marching on
towards his camp. When with-
in about two and one-half miles of
Lord Dunmore's headquarters,
which he called Camp Charlotte,
after Queen Charlotte, wife of
his majesty, George III., he
came out to meet Lewis in per-
son, bringing with him Corn-
stalk, White Eyes (another noted
Shawanee chief), and others,
and insisted on Lewis's return-
ing as he (Dunmore) was nego-
tiating a treaty of peace with
the Indians- He sought an in-

10

troduction to Lewis' officers, and
paid them some flattering com-
pliments, etc. Evidently it did
not comport with Lord Dun
more's plans to have Gen. Lewis
present at the treaty, to help the
negotiation by suggestions, or to
have the moral support of his
army to sustain them. So much
did Lewis' army feel the disap-
pointment and this indignity,
that Col. Andrew, his son, says
that it was with difficulty Gen.
Lewis could restrain his men
(not under very rigid discipline,
at best) from killing Lord Dun-
more and his Indian escort.
But the result of the personal
conference was that Gen, Lewi?,
at last with the utmost reluctance
of himself and army, consented
to return, and to disband his
army upon his arrival at Camp
Union, as ordered.

Suppose Lewis had attempted
to cross the river, and been de-
stroyed, or had crossed and been
ambushed and demolished in the
forest thickets of Ohio, or that
Cornstalk had succeeded, as he
came so near doing, in surprising
him in his own camp, on the morn-
ing of the 10th, or after that; sup
pose the Indians bad succeeded
in turning the so evenly balanced
scale in their favor, during the
fight, as they came so near doing,
and had annihilated Lewis' army,
as they might have done, having
them penned up in the angle of
two rivers, who can doubt in

view of all the facts above noted,
that Lord Dunmore would have
been responsible for the disaster?
Who can doubt, as it was, that
he was responsible for the un-
necessary sacrifice of life, at the
Point, on the loth? Who can
doubt that, with the two divisions
of the army united, as per agree
ment, and Lord Dunmore and
Lewis acting in unison and good
faith, they could have marched
to the Indian towns, and utterly
destroyed them, or dictated a
favorable and lasting peace, atvl
maintained it as long as they
pleased, by holding importer) I
hostages? But, clearly, the pol-
icy of the governor was dictated
by ulterior and sinister motives;
his actions were not single-mind-
ed. Col. Andrew Lewis says:
"It was evidently the intention
-of the old Scotch villain to cut off
Gen. Lewis' army.' Burk the
historian, says: "The division
under Lewis was devoted to de-
struction, for the purpose of
breaking the spirit of the Virgin-
ians." Withers, Doddridge, and
others, express the same views.
Gen. Lewis and his army were
convinced of the fact; Col. Stew-
art bad no doubt of it, and nearly
every one who has written on the
subject has taken the same view
of it. A few only are willing to
give him the benefit of a doubt.
If this design to destroy Lewis'
army had succeeded, it is almost
certain that the English, through

11

Lord Dunmore, would have per-
fected an alliance, offensive and
defensive, with the victorious In-
dians, against the colonies, and
every white settlement west of
the Alleghenies would proba-
bly have been cut off. It
would have been difficult
or impossible, for a time,
to raise another army for the de-
fense of the western border; the
tory element would have been
encouraged and strengthened,
the revolutionary element cor-
respondingly discouraged, the
rebellion! ? ) crushed, and Lord
Dunmore would have been the
hero of the age. Upon what slen-
der and uncertain tenures bang
the destinies of nations, and the
fate of individuals! The closely-
won success of Lewis was not
only an immediate victory over
the Indians, but a defeat of the
machinations of the double deal-
ing governor, and the projected
Anglo-Indian alliance. If this
view of it is established the claim
of the battle of Point Pleasant
as being the initiatory battle of
the revolution; and, although
small in itself, when its after re-
sults and influences are consid-
ered it stands out in bold relief
as one of the important and de-
cisive victories of history. A
few words more and we shall be
done with Lord Dunmore. Up-
on his return to Williamsburg,
the Assembly, upon his own ex-
parte statement of the results of

the campaign, passed a vole of
thanks for his "valuable ser-
vices,' etc., which, it is said,
they very much regretted when
they learned more of the facts.
Just after the battle of Lexing-
ton (April 19, 1775), he had all
the powder that was stored in
the colonial magizine at Williams-
burg secretly conveyed on board
an armed English vessel lying
off Yorktown, and threatened to
lay Williamsburg in ashes at the
ii rst sign of i n s u r r e c t i o n.
Patrick Henry raised a volun-
teer force to go down and com-
pel him (Dunmore) to restore
the powder; but as this was im-
practicable, he agreed to pay,
and did pay for it, and then is-
sued a proclamation declaring
"One Patrick Henry and his
followers rebels.' He had pre-
viously threatened Thomas Jef-
ferson with prosecution for trea-
son, and had commenced pro-
ceedings. About this time, hav-
ing previously sent his family on
an English naval vessel, he made
bis own escape, by night, to the
English fleet and commenced a
system of depredations along the
coast, burning houses, destroy-
ing crops, etc. He tried to bring
his scheme of Indian co-opera-
tion to bear, and sent a message
to his old friend, Connally, with
a commission as Colonel, and in-
structed him to secure the co-
operation of as many of the west-
ern militia commanders as possi-

12

ble, by large rewards; to form an
alliance with the Indians, collect
his forces at Fort Pitt, and
march through Virginia and
meet him. Fortunately, Col.
Connally was captured and im-
prisoned, and the scheme ex-
posed and thwarted He (Dun-
more) issued a proclamation
granting freedom, to all the
slaves who would flock to his
standard, and protection to the
Tories. Among other acts of
violence, he burned Norfolk, the
then largest and most important
town in Virginia. Upon his
flight, the Assembly met and
declared his office vacant, and
proceeded to fill it; and, for the
first time, Virginia had entire
"home rule/ Upon the petition
of citizens of Dunmore county,
which had been named in his
honor, the name was abolished,
and the county called Shenan-
doah. In 1776, Lord Dunmore
and his fleet and hangers-on
were at Guynne's Island, in the
Chesapeake Bay, where, as an
interesting example of poetic or
retributive justice, Gen. Lewis
in command of the Virginia
troops, attacked, defeated, and
drove them off, with heavy loss,
Gen. Lewis himself, firing the
first gun, soon after which the
ex-Governor, a sadder and wiser
man ''left the country for the
country's good."

It will thus be seen that Dun-
more, the Tory Governor of Vir-

ginia, knew that the war of the
Revolution was inevitable. John
Adams dates the opening of the
Revolution in 1760. The people
had tired of taxation without rep-
resentation. In 1764 we find an
organized opposition to oppres-
sive taxation in Boston. In 1765,
was passed the Stamp Act and in
that year was organized the Sons
of Liberty. In 1766 the Royal
Artillery was in Boston. In
1767, a duty was imposed on tea.
In 1768 British troops were sent
to Boston. In 1768 in Virginia
was passed the non-importation
agreement, followed in 1770 by
the Boston Massacre.

In the Parliament of England,
the discussion of the taxation of
the colonies did not tend to allay
their determination to thwart all
oppression and when George
III determined at all odds to im-
pose taxation the matter was set-
tled in the heart of every loyal
American, whether the vow was
expressed or implied. It is well
authenticated that, to occupy the
attention of the colonial forces
that they might not have so much
(time in which to brood over the
oppression of the mother coun-
try,) it was necessary to incite
the Indians toattact the frontiers
and so divert the attention of the
colonists from their quarrel with
the mother country and at the
same time impress upon them a
feeling of dependence upon Brit-
ish arms and means for the safe-

13

ty of their lives and homes. Oae
of the quickest to avail himself
of this method of resisting the
onflow-ing tide of this demand for
Liberty was Governor Dunmore.

Virginia had been the first in
1764 to pass a Resolution, defy-
ing- the British authority as is
seen by the following, introduc-
ed by Patrick Henry, in the
House of Burgesses, and carried :

"Resolved, therefore, That the
General Assembly of this colony,
together with his majesty or
substitute, have, in their repre-
sentative capacity, the only ex-
clusive right and power to lay
taxes and impositions upon the
inhabitants of this colony; and
that every attempt to vest such
power in any person or persons
whatsoever, other than the Gen-
eral Assembly aforesaid, is ille-
gal, unconstitutional, and unjust,
and has a manifest tendency to
destroy British, as well as Amer-
ican, Freedom."

In this same year 1764, Pat-
rick Henry originated the great
question which led to the final
independence of the United
States.

When, in January, 1765, the
famous stamp act was passed
that for a while stunned the
whole country, and confounded
the people, it was Virginia, led
by the matchless Henry, that
stood forth to raise the drooping
spirits of the colonists, and it is
said his election to the house of

burgesses was with express ref-
erence to his opposition to the
stamp act, and the adoption of a
series of resolutions in 1765,
chief among which was the one
above referred to.

Upon the death of Mr. Henry,
in his private papers, was found
the original manuscript, embrac-
ing the above Resolution with
others, bearing the following
narrative, written on the back of
it by Mr. Henry, himself:

"The within resolutions pass-
ed the house of burgesses in
May, 1765. They formed the
first opposition to the stamp act,
and .the scheme of taxing Ameri-
ca by the British parliament.'
All the colonies, either through
fear, or want of opportunity to
form an opposition, or from in-
fluence of some kind or other,
had remained silent. I bad been
for the first time elected a bur-
gess, a few days before, was
young, inexperienced, unac-
quainted with the forms of the
house, and the members that
composed it. Finding the men
of weight averse to opposition,
and the commencement of the
tax at hand, and that no person
was likely to step forth, I deter-
mined to venture, and alone,
unadvised, and unassisted, on a
blank leaf of an old law book
wrote the within. Upon offer-
ing them to the house, violent de-
bates ensued. Many threats
were uttered, and much abuse

14

cast upon me, by the party for
submission. After a long and
warm contest, the resolutions
passed by a very small majority,
perhaps of one or two only.
The alarm spread through Amer-
ica with astonishing quickness,
and the ministerial party were
overwhelmed. The great point
of resistance to British taxation
was universally established in
the colonies. This brought on
the war, which finally separated
the two countries, and gave in-
dependence to ours."

The Virginia house of bur-
gesses continued to pass resolu-
tions of defiance until the session
of 1768-9, when the house was
dissolved by the governor. This
house had the merit of originat-
ing that powerful engine of re-
sistance, corresponding commit-
tees between the legislatures of
the colonies, a measure so nearly
coeval in the two states of Vir-
ginia and Massachusetts that it
would have been, at that time
with their slow methods of com-
munication, impossible to have
borrowed the idea one from the
other; so that they are equally
entitled to that honor, although
Mrs. Warren, a Massachusetts
historian of that time, admits
that the measure originated in
Virginia.

It will thus be seen that when
the colonists met in Congress in
Philadelphia, September 4,1774,
that all over Virginia it was be-

lieved, as Patrick Henry had so
eloquently asserted, that the war
was inevitable, and the people
were ready to voice his senti-
ment, "Let it come." Consider-
ing all these facts, we can well
credit Howe, the Virginia histo-
rian who says, "While Virginia
was employed in animating her
sister states to resistance, her
governor was employed in the
ignoble occupation of fomenting
jealousies and feuds between the
province, which it should have
been his duty to protect from
such a calamity, and Pennsylva-
nia, by raising difficult questions
of boundary, and exciting the in-
habitants of the disputed terri-
tory to forswear allegience to the
latter province; hoping thus, by
affording a more immediately
exciting question, to draw off the
attention of these too important
provinces from the encroach-
ments of Great Britain. This
scheme, as contemptible as it
was iniquitous, wholly failed,
through the good sense and
magnanimity of the Virginia
council. Lord North, full of his
feeble and futile schemes of
cheating the colonies out of their
rights, took off the obnoxious
duties with the exception of three
pence per pound on tea; and,
with the ridiculous idea that he
might fix the principle upon the
colonies by a precedent, which
should strip it of all that was
odious, offered a draw-back equal

15

to the import duty. This induc-
ed the importation of tea into
Boston harbor which, being
thrown overboard by some of
the citizens, called down upon
their city all the rigor of the cele-
brated Boston port bill.

A draft of this bill reached the
Virginia legislature while in ses-
sion; an animated protest, and a
dissolution of the assembly by
the governor, of course followed.
On the following day the mem-
bers convened in the Raleigh
tavern and, in an able and man-
ly paper, expressed to their con-
stituents and their government
those sentiments and opinions
which they had not been allowed
to express in a legislative form.
This meeting recommended a
a cessation of trade with the East
India Company, a Congress of
deputies from all the colonies,
'declaring their opinion, that an
attack upon one of the colonies
was an attack upon all British in
A merica, ' and calling a convention
of the people of Virginia. The
sentiments of the people accorded
with those of their late delegates;
they elected members who met
in convention at Williamsburg,
on the 1st of August, 1774.

This convention went into a
detailed view of their rights and
grievances, discussed measures
of redress for the latter, and de-
clared their determination never
to relinquish the former; they
appointed deputies to attend a

general Congress, and they in-
structed them how to proceed.
The Congress met in Philadel-
phia, on the 4th of September,
1774.

While Virginia was engag-
ed in her efforts for the gen-
eral good, she was not without
her peculiar troubles at home.
The Indians had been for some
time waging a horrid war upon
the frontiers, when the indigna-
tion of the people at length com-
pelled the reluctant govenor to
take up arms, and march to sup-
press the very savages he was
thought to have encouraged and
excited to hostility by his intri-
gues.

Lord Dunmore marched the
army in two divisions: the one
under General Andrew Lewis
he sent to the junction of the
Great Kanawha with the Ohio,
while he himself marched to a
higher point on the latter river,
with pretended purpose of de-
stroying the Indian towns and
joining Lewis at Point Pleasant;
but it was believed with the real
object of sending the whole In-
dian force to annihilate Lewis'
detachment, and thereby weaken
the power and break down the
spirit of Virginia. If such was
his object he was signally defeat-
ed through the gallantry of the
detachment, which met and de-
feated the superior numbers of
the enemy at Point Pleasant, af-
ter an exceeding hard-fought

16

day, and the loss of nearly all its
officers. The day after the vic-
tory, an express arrived from
Unnmore with orders for the
detachment to join him at a dis-
tance of 80 miles, through an en-
emy's country, without any con-
ceivable object but the destruc-
tion of the corps. As these or-
ders were given without a know-
lege of the victory, Col. Lewis
was proceeding1 to the destruc-
tion of the Shawanee villiages,
when he was informed the gov-
ernor had made peace.

Another evidence of Dun-
more's intention to have the ar-
my of Andrew Lewis destroyed
at Point Pleasant, is found in
Kercheval's History of the Val-
ley, p. 118, as follows: "It was
the generel belief among- the of-
ficers of our army, at the time,
that the Earl of Dunmore, while
at Wheeling, receiyed advice
from his g-overnment of the pro-
bability of the approaching war
between England and the colo-
nies, and that afterwards, all his
measures, with regard to the
Indians, had for their ultimate
object an alliance with those fe-
rocious warriors for the aid of
the mother country in their con-
test with us. This supposition
accounts for his not forming a
junction with the army of Lewis
at Point Pleasant. This devia-
tion from the original plan of the
campaign jeopardized the army
of Lewis and well nigh occasion-

ed its total destruction. The
conduct of the Earl at the treaty,
shows a good understanding be-
tween him and the Indian chiefs.
He did not suffer the army of
Lewis to form a junction with
his own, but sent them back be-
fore the treaty was concluded,
thus risking the safety of his
own forces, for at the time of the
treaty, the Indian warriors were
about his camp in force sufficient
to have intercepted his retreat
and destroyed his whole army."

Again, Kercheval says: "We
now proceed to examine the
question, how far facts and cir-
cumstances justify us in suppos-
ing the Earl of Dunmore himself
was instrumental in producing
the Indian war of 1774.

It has already been remarked
that this Indian war was but the
precursor to our revolutionary
war of 1775— that Dunmore the
then governor of Virginia, was
one of the most inveterate and
determined enemies to the revo-
lution— that he was a man of
high talents, especially for intri-
gue and diplomatic skill — that
occupying the station of com-
mander-in-chief of the large and
respectable State of Virginia, he
possessed means and power to
do much to serve the views of
Great Britain. And we have
seen, from the preceding pages,
how effectually he played his
part among the inhabitants of
the western country. I was

17

present myself when a Pennsyl-
vania magistrate, of the name of
Scott, was taken into custody,
and brought before Dunmore, at
Prestone old Fort; he was severe-
ly threatened and dismissed, per-
haps on bail, but I do not recol-
lect how; another Pennsylvania
magistrate was sent to Staunton
jail. And I have already shown
in the perceding pages, that
there was a sufficient prepara-
tion of materials for this war in
the predisposition and hostile
attitude of our affairs with the
Indian*; that it was consequently
no difficult matter with a Vir-
ginia governor to direct the inci-
pient state of things to any point
most conclusive to the grand end
he had in view, namely, in weak-
ening our national strength in
some of the best and most effi-
cient parts. If, then, a war with
the Indians might have a tenden-
cy to produce this result, it ap-
pears perfectly natural and
reasonable to suppose that Dun-
more would make use of the
power and influence to promote
it, and although the war of 1774
was brought to a conclusion be-
fore the year was out, yet we
know that this fire was scarcely
extinguished before it burst in-
to a flame with tenfold fury, and
two or three armies of the whites
were sacrificed before we could
get the Indians subdued; and
this unhappy state of our affairs
with the Indians happening dur-

ing the severe conflict of our rev-
olutionary war, had the very ef-
fect, I suppose, Dunmore had in
view namely, dividing our forces
and enfeebling our aggregate
strength; and that the seeds of
these subsequent wars with the
Indians were sown in 1774 and
1775, appears almost certain.

"And the first we shall men-
tion is a circular sent by Maj.
Connoly, his proxy, early in the
spring of the year 1774, warning
the inhabitants to be on their
guard — the Indians were very
angry, and manifested so much
hostility, that he was apprehen-
sive they would strike some
where as soon as the season
would permit, and enjoining the
inhabitants to prepare and re-
tire into Forts, &c. It might
be useful to collate and compare
this letter with one he wrote to
Capt, Cresap on the 14th of July
following; see hereafter. In this
letter he declares there is a war
or danger of war, before the war
is properly begun; in that to Capt.
Cresap, he says, ''the Indians
deport themselves peaceably;"
when Dunmore and Lewis and
Cornstalk we are all out on their
march for battle.

"This letter produced its nat-
ural result. The people fled in-
to Forts, and put themselves in-
to a posture of defense, and the
tocsin of war resounded from
Laurel Hill to the banks of the
Ohio river. Capt, Cresap who

18

was peaceably at this time em-
ployed in building- houses and
improving1 lands, on the Ohio
River, received this letter, ac-
companied, it is believed, with a
confirmatory message from Col.
Croghan and Maj. McGee, Indian
ag-ents and interperters; and he
thereupon immediately broke up
his camp, and ascended the River
to Wheeling fort, the nearest
place of safety from whence it is
believed he intended speedily to
return home; but during1 his stay
at this place, a report was
brought to the Fort that two In-
dians were coming down the
River. Capt. Cresap, supposing
from every circumstances, and
the general aspect of affairs,
that war was inevitable, and in
fact already begun, went up the
River with his party; and two of
his men, of the name of Cheno-
weth and Brothers, killed, these
two Indians. Beyond controver-
sy this is the only circumstance
in the history of this Indian war,
in whicn his name can in the re-
motest degree be identified with
any measure tending to produce
this war; and it is certain that
the guilt or innocence'of this af-
fair will appear from this date.
It is notorious, then, that those
Indians were killed not only af-
ter Capt. Cresap bad received
Connoly's letter, and after
Butler's men were killed in the
canoe, but also alter the affair at
Yellow Creek, and after the peo-
ple had fled into the Forts."

The same author further says,
on pages 128-130, inclusive,

"The Governor of Virginia,
whatever might have been his
views as to the ulterior measures,
lost no time in preparing to meet
this storm. He sent orders im-
mediately to Col. Andrew Lewis,
of Augusta county, to raise an
army of about one thousand men,
and to march with all expedition
to the mouth of the Great Kan-
awha, on the Ohio River, where,
or at some other point, he would
join him, after he had got to-
gether another army, which ne
intended to raise in the north-
western counties, and command
in person. Lewis lost no time,
collected the number of men re-
quired, and marched without de-
lay to the appointed place of ren-
dezvous.

"But the Earl was not quite
so rapid in his movements,
which circumstance the eagle
eye of old Cornstalk, the gener-
al of the Indian army, saw, and
was determined to avail himself
of, foreseeing that it would be
much easier to destroy two sepa-
rate columns of an invading army
before than after their junc-
tion and consolidation. With
this view he marched with all ex-
pedition to attack Lewis before
he was joined by the Earle's ar-
my from the north, calculating,
confidently no doubt, that if he
could destroy Lewis, be would
be able to give a good account of
the army of the Earl.

19

"The plan of Cornstalk ap-
pears to have been those of a con-
summate and skillful general,
and the prompt and rapid execu-
tion of them displayed the en-
ergy of a warrior. Ke, there-
fore, without loss of time, attack-
ed Lewis at his post. The at-
tack was sudden, violent, and I
believe unexpected. It was
nevertheless well fought, very
obstinate, and of long- continu-
ance; and as both parties fought
with rifles, the conflict was
dreadful; many were killed on
both sides, and the contest was
only finished with the approach
of night. The Virginians, how-
ever, kept the field, . but lost
many able officers and men, and
among the rest, Col. Charles,
Lewis, brother to the command-
er in-chief.

This battle of Lewis' opened
an easy and unmolested passage
for Dunmore through the Indian
country; but it is proper to re-
mark here, however, that when
Dunmore arrived with his wing
of the army at the mouth of the
Hockhocking River, he sent Capt.
White-eyes, a Delaware chief, to
invite the Indians to a treaty,
and he remained stationary at
that place until White-eyes re-
turned, who reported that the
Indians would not treat about
peace. I presume, in order of
time, this must have been just
before Lewis' battle; because it
will appear in the sequal of this

story, fhat a great revolution
took place in the minds of the
Indians after the battle.

"Dunmore, immediately upon
the report of White-eyes that the
Indians were not disposed for
peace, sent an express to Col.
Lewis to move on and meet him
near Chillicothe, on the Scioto
river, and both wings of the ar-
my were put in motion. But as
Dunmore approached the Indian
town, he was met by flags from
the Indians, demanding peace,
to which he acceded, halted his
army, and runners were sent to
invite the Indian chiefs, who
cheerfully obeyed the summons,
and came to the treaty — save
only Logan, the great orator,
who refused to come. It seems,
however, that neither Dunmore
nor the Indian chiefs considered
his presence of much importance,
for they went to work and finish-
ed the treaty without him — re-
ferring, I believe, some unsettled
points for future discussion, at
a treaty to be held the ensuing
summer or fall at Pittsburg.
This treaty, the articles of which
I never saw, nor do I know that,
they were ever recorded, con-
cluded Dunmore's war, in Sep-
tember or October, 1774. After
the treaty was over, old Corn-
stalk, the Shawnee chief, accom-
panied Dunmore's army until
they reached the mouth of the
Hockhocking. on the Ohio River;
and what was more singular,

20

rather made his hom'e in Capt.
Ci*esap's tent, with whom he
continued on terms of the most
friendly familiarity. I consider
this circumstance as positive
proof that the Indians them-
selves neither considered Capt.
Cresap the murderer of Log-an's
family, nor the cause of the war.
It appears, also, that at this place
the Earl of Dunmore received
dispatches from England. Dod-
ridge sa}7s he received these on
his march out.

But we ought to have mention-
ed in its proper place, that after
the treaty between Duntnore and
the Indians commenced near
Chillocothe, Lewis arrived with
his army, and encamped two or
three miles from Dunmore,
which greatly alarmed the In-
dians, as they thought he was so
much irritated at losing so many
men in the late battle that he
would not easily be pacified; nor
would they be satisfied until
Dunmore and old Cornstalk went
into Lewis' camp to converse
with him.

Dr. Doddridge represents this
affair in different shades of light
from this statement. I can only
say I had my information from
an officer who was present at the
time.

But it is time to remind the
reader, that, although I have
wandered into such a minute de-
tail of the various occurrences,
facts and circumstances of Dun-

more's war; and all of which as a
history may be interesting to the
present and especially to the ris-
ing generation; yet it is proper
to remark that I have two lead-
ing objects chiefly in view — first,
to convince the world, that who-
ever might be the cause of the
Indian war in 1774, it was nut
Ca'pt. Cresap; secondly, that from
the aspect of our political affairs,
at that period, and from the
known hostility of Dunmore to
the American Revolution, and
withal to the subsequent con-
duct of Dunmore, and the dread-
ful Indian war that commenced
soon after the beginning of our
war with Great Britain — I say,
from all these circumstances, we
have infinitely stronger reasons
to suspect Dunmore than Cresap;
and I may say that the dispatches
above mentioned that were re-
ceived by Dunmore at Hockbock-
ing, although after the treaty,
were yet calculated to create sus-
picion.

But if, as we suppose, Dun-
more was secretly at the bottom
of this Indian war, it is evident
that be could not with propriety
appear personally in a business
of this kind; and we have seen
and shall see, how effectually bis
sub-governor played his part be-
tween the Virginians and Penn-
sylvanians; and it now remains
for us to examine how far the
conduct of this man (Connolly)
will bear us out in the supposi-

21

tion that there was also some
foul play, some dark intriguing
work to embroil the western
country in an Indian war."

Hon. V. A. Lewis who is the
author of the History of the
Virginias compiled in Hardesty's
Historical and Geographical En
cylopedian ot 1883 pays the fol-
lowing- tribute to the Battle of
Point Pleasant:

"To the student of history no
truth is more patent than this,
that the battle of Point Pleasant,
was the first in the series of the
Revolution, the flames of which
were being kindled by the op-
pression of the mother country
and the resistance of the same
by the feeble but determined
colonies. It is a well known fact
that the emisaries of Great Bri-
tain were then inciting the In-
dians to hostilities against the
frontier for the purpose of dis-
tracting attention, and thus pre-
venting the consumation of the
Union which was then being
formed to resist the tyranny of
their armed oppression. It is
also well known that Lord Dun-
more was an enemy of the colo-
nists, by his rigid adherence to
the royal cause and his efforts
to induce the Indians to co-oper-
ate with the English, and thus
assist in reducing Virginia to
subjection. It has been assert-
ed that he intentionally delayed
the progress of the left wing of
the army that the right might be

destroyed at Point Pleasant.
Then at the mouth of the Great
Kanawha river on the 19th (10th)
day of October, 1774, there went
whiz/ing through the forrest the
first volley of a struggle for lib-
erty, which, in the granduer and
importance of its results, stands
without parallel in the history
of the world. On that day the
soil upon which Point Pleasant,
now stands drank the first blood
shed in defense of American lib-
erty, and it was there decided
that the decaying institutions of
the Middle Ages should not pre-
vail in America, but that just
laws and priceless liberty should
be planted forever in the domains
of the New World.

Historians, becoming engross-
ed with the more stirring scenes
of the Revolution, have failed to
consider the sanguinay battle in
its true import and bearing upon
the destiny of our country, for-
getting, that the Colonial army
returned home only to enlist in
the patriot army and on almost
every battlefield of the Revolu-
tion were representatives of that
little band who stood face to face
with the savage allies of Great
Britian at Point Pleasant."

And, in conclusion, Kercheval
says, at page 139, "I say, from
all which it will appear that Dun-
more had his views, and those
views hostile to the liberties of
America, in his proceedings with
the Indians in the war of 1774,

22

the circumstances of the times,
in connection with his equivocal
conduct, leads us almost natur-
al!}' to infer that he knew pretty
well what he was about, and
among- other thing's, he knew
that a war with the Indians at
this time would materially sub-
serve the views and interest of
Great Britain, and consequently
he perhaps might teel it a duty
to promote said war, and if not,
why betray such extreme solici-
tude to single out some conspicu-
ous character, and make him
the scape-goat, to bear all the
blame of this war, that he and
his friend Connolly might es-
cape?"

Nothing- could more fittingly
JS^describe the patriotic senti-
ment fell in Virginia than the
heroic appeal of Mrs. Wm.
Lewis. It is related of her
that "When the British force
under Tarleton drove the legis-
lature from Charlottesville to
Staunton, the stillness of the
Sabbath eve was broken in the
latter town by the beat of the
drum, and volunteers were call-
ed for to prevent the passage of
the British through the moun-
tains at Kockfish Gap. The
elder sons of Wm. Lewis, who
then resided at the old fort, were
absent with the northern army.
Three sons, however, were at
home, whose ag-es were 17, 15
and 13 years. Wm. Lewis was
confined to his room by sickness,
but his wife, with the firmness

of a Roman matron, called them
to her, and bade them fly to the
defence of their native land.
"Go my children.' said she, "I
spare not my youngest, my fair-
haired boy, the comfort ol my
declining- years. I devote you.
all to my country. Keep back
the foot of the invader from the
soil of Augusta, or see my face
no more." When this incident
was related to Washington,
shortly after its occurrence, he
enthusiastically exclaimed,
"Leave me but a banner to plant
upon the mountains of Augusta,
and I will rally around me the
men who will lift our bleeding-
country from the dust, and set
her free." Howe's Virginia,
its History and Antiquities, p.
183.

From Wither's Border War-
fare we quote: "The army un-
der Gen. Lewis had endured
many privations and suffered
many hardships. They had en-
countered a savage enemy in
great force, and purchased a
victory with the blood of their
friends. When arrived near to
the goal of their anxious wishes,
and with nothing to prevent the
accomplishment of the object of
the campaign, they received
those orders with evident chag-
rin, and did not obey them with-
out murmuring. Having, at his
own request, been introduced
severally to the officers of that
division, complimenting them for

23

their gallantry and good conduct
in the late engagement, and as-
suring them of his high esteem,
Lord Dunmore returned to bis
Camp; and Gen. Lewis commen-
ced his retreat. "

"This battle (says Col. Stuart,
in his historical memoir) was, in
fact, the beginning of the revo-
lutionary war, that obtained for
our country the liberty and in-
dependence enjoyed by the
United States — and a good pres-
age of future success; for it is
well known that the Indians were
influenced by the British to com-
mence the war to terrify and con-
found the people, before thev
commenced hostilities them-
selves the following year at Lex-
ington. It was thought by Brit-
ish politicians, that to excite an
"Indian war would prevent a
combination of the colonies for
opposing parliamentary meas-
ures to tax the Americans.
The blood, therefore, spilt upon
this memorable battlefield, will
long he remembered by the good
people of Virginia and the United
States with gratitude."

Virgil A. Lewis, West Virgin-
ia State Historian and Archivest,
says, in his History of West
Virginia, published in 1889, at
page 133, "To the student of
history no truth is more patent
than this, that the battle of
Point Pleasant was the first in
the series of the Revolution, the
flames of which were then being

kindled by the oppression of the
mother country, and the resist-
ance of the same by the feeble
but determined colonies. It is a
well known fact that emissaries
of Great Britain were then incit-
ing the Indians to hostilities
against the frontier for the pur-
pose of distracting attention and
thus preventing the consuma-
tion of the union which was then
being formed to resist the tyran-
ny of their armed oppressors.
It is also well known that Lord
Dunmore was an enemy to the
colonists, by his rigid adherence
to the royal cause and his efforts
to induce the Indians to co-oper-
ate with the English, and thus
assist in reducing Virginia to
subjection. It has been assert-
ed that he intentionally delayed
the progress of the left wing of
the army that the right might
be destroyed at Point Pleasant.
Then, at the mouth of the Great
Kanawha river, on the 10th day
of October, 1774, there went
whizzing through the forest the
first volley of a struggle for lib-
erty which, in the grandeur and
importance of its results, stands
without a parellel in the history
of the world. On that day the
soil on which Point Pleasant now
stands drank the first blood, shed
in defence of American liberty,
and it was there decided that the
decaying institutions of the Mid-
dle Ages should not prevail in
America, but that just laws and

24

priceless liberty should be plant-
ed forever in the domains of the
New World. Historians, becom-
ing- engrossed with the more
stirring scenes of the Revolution,
ha.ve failed to consider this san-
guinar\- battle in its true import
and bearing upon the destiny of
our country, forg-etting that the
colonial army returned home on-
ly to enlist in the patriot army,
and on almost every battle-field
of the Revolution represented
that little band vvhu stood tace to
face with the savag-e allies of
Great Britain at Point Pleasant.'
Owing to the importance of
the question, we have, at the
risk of tiring- the reader, given
these many details of evidence
that the Battle of Point Pleasant,
while not a battle between the
English and Colonial forces,
nevertheless shed the first blood
on American soil for national in-
dependence. It can be plain-
ly seen that, though at this time
these sturdy pioneers were fight-
ing to protect their homes and
firesides, the very foundation
of national government, Great
Britain, through her Tory Gov-
ernor of Virginia, intended thus
to destroy the flower of the Col-
onial army of Virginia. It was
a stroke which, had it succeeded,
would have averted the War of
the Revolution many years.
The army that Lewis gathered
were not the unlettered men of
the forest, — they were from

among the most highly educated
men of the colony and it is said
that, to this date, in no army of
a similar number, has such a
large percentage had a knovvl
edge of the Greek and Latin lan-
guag-es That they were men
of education and influence will
be seen by following the survi-
vors of that battle, not only
through the Revolution, where
many of them distinguished
themselves, but out into the civ-
il life of the country, during, and
subsequent to, the Revolution.

That the battle was the most
fruitful, in its results, of any
battle ever fought upon Ameri-
can soil, is apparent from the
history of the country. The
great Northwest Territory, ly-
ing north of the Ohio and east
of the Mississippi, had long- been
a bone of contention between
France and England and France
did not relinquish her claim un-
til driven to recede as the result
of the battle upon the Plains of
Abraham before Quebec, where
the intrepid Montcalm was de-
feated by the invincible Wolffe.

The treaty that followed at
Paris, in 1763, ceded all this terri-
tory to England, whose failure
to open it to the colonists was
a subject of discussion and dis-
trust and rightfully so, as En-
gland maintained it to the ex
elusion of the colonists, not only
that she might, with it, subsidize
the savage Indians, but when

25

necessary, secure their services
in maintaining cOntrol of the col-
onies.

By the treaty that followed the
battle of Point Pleasant, that of
Camp Charlotte, the federation of
the five great nations in control
of that territory ceded it to Vir-
ginia, to hold inviolate, and which
treaty lasted without interrup-
tion for three years, enabling
the colonists not only to
enter the Northwest Territor,
but to colonize Kentucky and
Tennessee. In Dunmore's ar-
my was the intrepid George Rod-
gers Clarke, a Virginian, the
Hanibal of the West, who was
present at the treaty of Camp
Charlotte. The history of the
colonization and civilization of
this territory is the history of
Geo. Kcdgers Clarke, too well
known here for extended com-
ment. Suffice it to say that, in
the struggle led by Clarke to
drive the British from the North-
west Territory, it was not the
colonies, but Virginia, protect-
ing her own territory, acquired
by the battle of Point Pleasant,
that furnished the army for
Clark's expedition, Governor,
Patrick Henry supplying Clarke
from Virginia's funds, the sum of
twelve hundred pounds, and
supplies of boots and ammun-
tion from Pittsburg, then in
Virginia. Could any army have
displayed more heroism, an
army of one hundred and
fifty, starting out to conquer

such a wilderness, with no con-
veyance for their munitions of
war, save their own robust and
hardy bodies?

The" subjugation of this coun-
try was not only comparatively
broad in its results, but was due
alone to Virginia. Of course,
such a vast territory opened up,
as it thus was, to civilization and
habitation, necessarily called for
representation in the Congress of
the infant nation, and justly so.
Virginia would soon, by her
great population, control the leg-
islation of the nation. Such, how-
ever, was not the purpose of Vir-
ginia. That ever generous
mother state here had opportun-
ity to be the most mag-
nanimous of them all. She
would not, if she could, dominate
the policy of the country, and,
without a dollar, she donated, ac-
tually gave away to the colonies
in fee simple the entire North-
west Territory, to be the terri-
tory of the colonists, and to be
disposed of as they deemed best

When we review the acquisi-
tion of the other territory of the
United States and compare the
$16,000,000, expended by our
government, for the Louisiana
purchase, the cost of the acqui-
sition of upper and lower Cali-
fornia, of Alaska, of the Phillip-
pines, of the cost of the Mexican
acquisition in men and money,
and then remember that the
settlement of the states of Ken-

26

tucky and Tennessee were made
possible, as well as the coloniza-
tion of Western Pennsylvania and
Western Virginia, together with
the acquisition of the Northwest
Territory, and the settlement
and civilization of the same, and
all as a sequel of the Battle of
Point Pleasant, considering- the
history of the ever memorable
struggle and the subsequent de-
velopment of the country, it is
very apparent not only that the
Battle of Point Pleasant was the
initial, the first battle of the
Revolution, but also farther
reaching in its results than
any other battle ever fought upon
the American continent.

As we have said before, no offi-
cial report of the battle was ever
made, but a letter from Williams-
burg, Va., then the seat of gov-
ernment, under date of No-
vember 10, 1774, was publish-
ed in the Belfast News Let-
ter, yet preserved. Presum-
ably, it was contributed to that
paper because many of the
Scotch-Irish had emigrated from
Belfast, Ulster District, to Penn-
sylvania and ultimately to Vir-
g-inia and settled in the sections
of Virginia from which the army
had been for the most part been
made up. This made the event
peculiarly interesting- to the peo-
ple of that portion of Ireland.
From that publication we quote
the history of the battle:
"BELFAST.

Yesterday arrived a mail from

New York, brought to Falmouth
by the Harriot packet boat.
Capt. Lee.

Williamsburg-, Va.,

November 10th.

The following letter is just re-
ceived here from the camp at
Point Pleasant, at the mouth of
the Great Kenhawa '(as then
spelled), dated October 17, 1774:

"The following is a true state-
ment of a battle fought at this
place on the 10th instant: On
Monday morning, about half an
hour before sunrise, two of Capt.
Russell's company discovered a
large party of Indians about a
mile from the camp, one of which
men was shot down by the In-
dians; the other made his escape,
and brought in the intelligence.
In two or three minutes after,
two of Capt. Shelby's company
came in and confirmed the ac-
count.

"Col. Andrew Lewis, being
informed thereof immediately
ordered out Col. Charles Lewis,
to take command of one hundred
and fifty of the Aug-usta troops,
and with him went Capt. Dickin-
son, Capt. Harrison, Capt. Wil-
son, Capt. John Lewis of Agusta,
and Capt. Lockridge, which
made the first division. Col.
Fleming was also ordered -to
take command of one hundred
and fifty more of the Botetourt,
Bedford and Fincastle troops.:
Capt. Thomas Buford, from Bed-
ford; Capt Love, of Botetourt;

27

Capt. Shelby and Capt. Russell,
of Fincastle, which made the
second division.

"Col. Charles Lewis' division
marched to the right, some dis-
tance from the Ohio, and Col.
Fleming, with his division on the
bank of the Ohio, to the left.

"Col. Charles Lewis' division
had not marched quite half a
mile from the camp when, about
sunrise, an attack was made on
the front of his division, in a
most vigorous manner, by the
united tribes of Indians — Shaw-
nees, Delawares, Mingoes, Ta-
was, and of several other nations
—in number not less than eight
hundred, and by many thought
to be one thousand.

"In this heavy attack, Col.
Charles Lewis received a wound
which, in a few hours caused his
death, and several of his men fell
on the spot; in fact, Augusta di-
vision was obliged to give wav
to the heavy fire of the enemy.
In about a second of a minute
after the attack on Col. Lewis'
division, the enemy engaged the
front of Col. Fleming's division,
on the Ohio, and in a short time
the Colonel received two balls
through his left arm, and one
through his breast, and, after
animating the officers and sol-
diers in a most calm manner to
the pursuit of victory, retired to
the camp.

"The loss in the field was sen-
sibly felt by the officers in parti-

cular; but the Augusta troops,
being shortly after reinforced
from the camp by Col. Field,
with his company, together with
Capt. McDowell, Capt. Mathews
and Capt. Stewart, from Augus-
ta; Capt. Paulin, Capt. Arbuckle
and Capt. McClannahan, from
Botetourt, the enemy no longer
able to maintain their ground,
was forced to give way till they
were in a line witn the troops,
Col. Fleming being left in action
on the bank of the Ohio.

"In this precipitate retreat
Col. Field was killed. During
this time, which was till after
twelve, the action in a small de-
gree abated, but continued, ex-
cept at short intervals, sharp
enough till after 1 o'clock.
Their long retreat gave them a
most advantageous spot of
ground, from whence it appear-
ed to the officers so difficult to
dislodge them that it was thought
most advisable to stand as the
line was then formed, which was
about a mile and a quarter in
length, and had sustained till
then a constant and equal weight
of the action, from wing to wing.

"It was till about half an hour
till sunset they continued firing
on us scattering shots, which we
returned to their disadvantage.
At length, the night coming on,
they found a safe retreat.

' 'They had not the satisfaction
of carrying off any of our men's
scalps, save one or two strag-

28

glers whom they killed before
the engagement. Many of their
dead they scalped, rather than
we should have them, but our
troops scalped upwards of twen-
ty of their men that were first
killed.

"It is beyond doubt their loss;
in number, far exceeded ours,
which is considerable.

"The return of the killed 'and
wounded in the above battle,
same as our last, as follows:

—Killed— Colonels Charles
Lewis and John Field, Captains
John Murray, R. McClannahan,
Samuel Wilson, James Ward,
Lieut. Hugh Allen, ensigns Can-
tiff and Bracken, and forty-four
privates. Total killed, fifty -three.

"Wounded— Col. William Flem-
ing, Captains John Dickinson,
Thomas Buford and I. Skidman
Lieutenants Goldman, Robinson,
Lard and Vance, and seventy-
nine privates. Total wounded,
eighty-seven; killed and wounded
one hundred and forty."

And further from the same
publication :

"AMERICA.

Williamsburg, in Virginia,
December 1, 1774.

We have it from good authori-
ty that his excellency, the gover-
nor, is on his way to this capital,
having concluded a peace with
the several tribes of Indians that
have been at war with us, and
taken hostages of them for their
faithful complying with terms of

it, the principal of which are
that they shall totally abandon
the lands on this side of the Ohio
river, which, river is to be the
boundary between them and the
white people, and never more
take up the hatchet against the
English."

"Thus, in a little more than
the space of five months, an end
is put to a war which portended
much trouble and mischief to the
inhabitants on the frontier, ow-
ing to the zeal and good conduct
of the officers and commanders
who went out in their country's
defense and the bravery and
perseverance of all the troops.'
Copied from the Belfast News
Letter of February 10. 1775."

De Hass, in describing the
battle, says:

"The battle scene was now
terribly grand. There stood
the combatants — terror, rage,
disappointment and despair riv
eted upon the painted faces of
one, while calm resolution and
the unbending will to do or die
were marked upon the other.
Neither party would retreat,
neither could advance. The
noise of the firing was tremend-
ous:— no single gun could be dis-
tinguished— was one common
roar. The rifle and the toma-
hawk now did their work with
dreadful certainty. The confu-
sion and perturbation of the
camp had now arrived at its
greatest height. The confused

29

sounds and wild uproar of the
battle added gfreatly to the ter-
ror of the scene. The shouting
of the whites, the continued roar
of firearms, the war-whoops and
dismal yelling of the Indians,
were discordant and terrific."

Col. J. L. Peyton, in his valu-
able history of Augusta county,
says:

"It was, throughout, a terrible
scene — the ring of rifles and the
roar of muskets, the clubbed
guns, the flashing knives — the
fight, hand to hand — the scream
for mercy, smothered i n the
death-groan — the crushing
through the brush — the advance
— the retreat — the pursuit, every
man for himself, with his enemy
in view — the scattering on every
side — the sounds of battle, dying
away into a pistol shot here and
there through the wood, and a
shriek' the collecting again of
the whites, covered with gore
and sweat, bearing trophies of
the slain, their dripping knives
in one hand, and rifle-barrel,
bent and smeared with brains
and hair, in the other. No lan-
guage can adequately describe
it."

Mr. Stephen T. Mitchell in
1827 in a publication, "The
Spirit of the Old Dominion" pub-
lished at Richmond Virginia
gives the following account of
the battle of Point Pleasant.

"We landed about a mile on the
left-hand shore of Kanawha, and

climbing a large hill, we were
saluted by a hundred Indians,
encamped upon the top. Our
captors told their adventures, no
doubt, with every aggravation;
for, after the most frantic ex-
pressions of grief and rage, I
was bound to a tree, a large pine
tree, which stands to this day
upon the brow of the hill, and
the fire was kindled around me.
I said my prayers; my time was
come; my body felt the scorching
heat: but, by a miraculous inter-
position of Providence, the clouds
which had been lowering all day,
now burst out in showers, and
quenched the flames. The In-
dians thought the Great Spirit
looked over me, and directed the
shower for my safety. My
bonds were loosened, and 1 was
allowed a little jirk and hommony
for my refreshment. The next
day T could perceive some great
expedition on foot; the Indians
were running to and fro in every
direction; some grinding paint
and some cleaning up their arms;
and even the squaws and little
boys were providing themselves
with hatchets and scalping-
knives, and strewing themselves
from the Ohio river all along the
cliffs of Kanawha."

"Late in the evening, I saw an
uncommon anxiety on the faces
of the savages; councils, grand
and petty, were held in various
places, and so completely were
my guards absorbed in the un-

30

dertaking which was at hand,
that they became entirely remiss
in their attentions to me. I re-
solved to sieize the propitious
moment, and make my escape.
I sprang on my feet and ran as
fast as my legs would carry me.
A loud whoop proclaimed the
event, and in a moment, I could
perceive myself closely pursued
by half a dozen athletic young
fellows, with uplifted tomahawks.
Fear added to my limbs the
agility of the deer. With my
head turned back over one
shoulder, I bounded through the
pine-trees until my speed had
carried me unawares to the brink
of a precipice. I tried to stop;
it was too late; I gave a piercing
shriek and bounded over. A
rushing sound in my ears like
the roaring of a mill-dam, then
the crashing of branches and
limbs recalled me to my recollec-
tion, and I found myself to my
inexpressible delight, breaking
my way through the thick
branches of a buck-eye tree. I
alighted without injury, and look-
ing back upon the cliff above,
could see my savage pursuers
gaping over the precipice in
amazement. I gave not a second
look, but darted off towards the
point with a heart swelling with
praise to the great Creator, who
had thus twice rescued me so
miraculously from my enemies.
Arriving at the mouth of the
Kanawha, I shouted aloud for

assistance. But, the whites had
too often been decoyed by their
own people to the savages, to be
easily imposed upon. They an-
swered me they could give no as-
sistance. I could not swim,
but my ingenuity, never fer-
tile in expedients, befriended me
now tor the first time in my life.
I rolled down a dry log from the
bank into the water, and getting
astride of it, I managed by great
exertion of hands and feet, to
row it across the stream, which
at that time, from the great
height of the Ohio, was as still
as a mill-pond I was received
by General Lewis, the command-
ant of the fort, with great cor-
diality and affection; and, being
naked and necessitous, I enrolled
myself as a regular in the corps;
and, being dressed in militaire,
with a tremendous rifle in my
hand and a thick breast work
before me, I felt as brave as
Julius Ceasar."

The Battle of Point Pleasant

"I was in hopes that I might en-
joy, within the walls of a fort,
some respite from the fears,
toils and anexieties which had,
for the last two weeks, worn me
out both body and mind. But he
who undertakes to settle in a
new and savage country, must
look out for no such respite, un-
til, by hardihood and persever-
ance, he has levelled the forest,
with its inhabitants, to the earth.

On the 10th of October, 1774,

31

about sun-rise, the hunters came
in at fall speed, and gave the
appalling information that a large
body, of Indians had spread them-
selves from river to river, and
were advancing by slow degrees,
towards the fort; at the same
instant, we could observe the
women and boys skulking up and
down the opposite banks of the
Ohio and Kanawha.

The position of the fort was
peculiarly favourable to a sur-
prise. As I have above mention-
ed, it was situated at a right an-
gular point formed by the con-
fluence of the Kanawha and Ohio
rivers. The country above the
fort was covered with a heavy
forest and impervious growth of
underwood, through which an
invading force might penetrate
completely undiscovered, to the
very walls of the fort. The gar-
rison was composed of about
twelve hundred men entirely
Virginians, from the counties of
Botetourt and Augusta. The
Indians consisted of about the
same number, the flower of the
Shawnee, Wyandotte and Min-
goe tribes, who were command-
ed by the celebrated Chieftain,
Cornstalk."

"From the large force which he
had collected for this expedition,
and from the secrecy of his
movements, it was evident that
the Indian Chief, in this desper-
ate attempt to recover the coun-
try east of the Ohio river, medi-

tated nothing less than an entire
extermination of the garrison.
General Lewis ordered out about
seven hundred of his rangers,
under the command of his neph-
ew, Colonel Charles Lewis; with
the remaining part of his troops,
about five hundred in number,
he determined to act as a reserve
and defend the fort to extremi-
ties. "

"I happened to be among those
who were ordered out, very
much against my will; but it was
neck or nothing; we advanced
about three hundred yards in
front of the fort, toward a deep
ravine which intersected the val-
ley at the right angles with the
Kanawha. All was still as death;
one moment more and a yell min-
gled with the roar of a thousand
rifles, rung from river to river,
and at the same moment every
bush and tree seemed alive with
armed savages. Col. Lewis was
killed at .the first fire, but the
rangers mantained their ground,
and a contest commenced more
desperate and more rapidly fatal
than any which had ever been
fought with the Aboriginese, ex-
cepting that of Talledaga. The
Indian Chief, with that prompt-
ness for seizing an advantage,
and that peculiar military tact
for which he was so much re-
nowned, extended his line from
the Ohio as far as it would
stretch across to the Kanawha
bank, for the purpose of out-

32

flanking the opposing- forces.
But, in the execution of this ma-
noeuvre, he was completely
foiled by the superior address
and boldness of the whites who,
animated with revenge for the
loss of their leader and a con-
sciousness of their desperate
situation, fought with a fury
that supplied the inequality of
numbers, and set at defiance
every stratagem of the savages."
"Finding that his method of
outflanking would not succeed,
the Indian Chief concentrated
his forces, and furiously attacked
the centre of the Virginia line.
The savages, animated by their
warlike and noble Chieftan,
Cornstalk, forgot the craftiness
of their nature, and rushing
from their coverts, engaged hand
to hand with their stout and
hardy adversaries, until the
contest resembled more a -cir-
cus of gladiators than a field of
battle. I became desperate; hide
where I would, the muzzle of
some rifle was gaping- in mv
face, and the wild, distorted
countenance of a savage, render-
he more frig-htful by paint, was
trushing- towards me with uplift-
ed tomahawk One fellow in
particular, seemed to mark me
as his victim; I levelled my rifle
at him as he came yelling and
leaping towards me, and fired.
The ball missed my aim. He
rose upon his toes with exulta-
tion, and whirling his tomahawk

round his head, slung it at me
with all his powers. I fell upon
my face, and it whizzed harmless
over my head and stuck into a
sapling. I bounded up and
forced it from the tree, but the
Indian was on me and rescued
the hatchet from my hands. I
seized him round the waist, en-
closing- both his arms at the
same time and tripping up his
heels, we rolled together upon
the ground. I at last grew
furious, gouged him with my
thumbs in both eyes, and seizing
him with my teeth by the nose,
I bit the whole of it from his
face; he yelled out with pain and
rage, and letting loose the hatch-
et to disengage my teeth, I
grasped the handle and buried
the sharp point into his brains.
He gave one convulsive leap
which bounced me from his
body, and in a moment after ex-
pired. I immediately rose, and
gaining a secure position behind
a tree, remained there till the
close of the fight, and made a
thousand resolutions, if I sur-
vived this engagement, never to
be caught in such a scrape again.
I kept my word; for, I have never
since encountered the savages,
and if Heaven forgives me, I
never will. There is no fun in
it."

"But, to return to the history
of this ever memorable battle.
There was a peninsula extend-
ing from a high range of hills,

33

running parallel with the Ohio
river, which jutted close to the
Kanawha bank, about a half a
mile from its mouth. Knowing
the importance of securing- the
narrow pass which ran between
its base and the river, the Indian
Chief despatched a picked body
of his troops to take possession
of it. They entered the dry bed
of a small creek which skirted
the foot of the hills, and pursued
their route unnoticed till they
were about to enter the import-
ant pass, when a shower of rifle
bullets pierced their body and
swept down the foremost i*anks.
A chosen band of rangers at the
same moment made their appear-
ance, with whom General Lewis
in anticipation had guarded the
pass. A yell of surprise and
rage burst from the savage line,
and they seconded their return-
ing fire by an unanimous and
desperate charge with the hunt-
ing-knife. The contest now as-
sumed all the wild and terrific
cast which a personal struggle,
conducted with the deadly feel-
ings of hate and revenge then
existing between the whites and
Indians, could inspire. The air
was filled with the screams of
the savages and the deep impre-
cations of the riflemen; every
blow brought death, and the
ground was soon heaped with
the corpses of the combatants.
But the disappointed efforts of
savage desperation were inef-

fectual against the unbroken
and impenetrable column which
was maintained by the whites;
and the Indians were driven,
with the loss of half their force,
back upon the main body. Here,
the fight still raged in the ex-
tremity of opposition, every inch
of ground was contested, from
behind every bush and decayed,
log the murderous flash arose,
and the continued roar of a
thousand rifles vibrated through
the forest/'

"The savage Chieftian discover-
ed that the chances against him
were desperate, yet, by his own
personal example of courage and
address, was the fight long- sus-
tained, even after his line had
been driven, step by step, from
their original position. His voice
could at intervals be heard, ris-
ing above the din of the fight like
the shrill blast of a bugle; at one
moment, bis dusky form and
glittering ornaments could be
seen flitting through the trees
upon the Ohio bank, and his war-
cry in the next would fill the
echoes of the hill at the farthest
extremity of the line. A cheer-
ing ejaculation of triumph would
one moment escape him, as an
advantage was gained by the de-
voted gallantry of some Shawnee
warrior; an imprecation upon
some skulking Mingoe, in a
short time afterwards, would be
recognized in his voice. "Charge
high and aim low" was his com-

mand incessantly throughout the
day; and, it is one of the circum-
stances remarked of that fatal
fight, that most of the bullet-
wounds received by the whites
proved mortal; but few of the
wounded ever recovered. Yet,
all the efforts of the old warrior
were vain; defeated and discour-
aged, the savage army almost
abandoned the fight in the latter
part of the day, and it was re-
duced to a mere straggling fire
between individuals of the con-
tending parties."

"Night closed upon the scene,
yet the ground was still occupied
by the two armies. Although
victorious, the Virginians could
neither press their advantage
nor retire to rest. An ambus-
cade or a night attack was ex-
pected from the savages, and
their behaviour warranted the
latter supposition. For, behind
a long line of watch-fires, they
could be discovered as if cau-
tiously examining the points
most open to attack. The wild
scream of a savage warrior, ap-
parently advancing to the fight,
would at intervals break upon
the death like stillness of the
night, and cause my heart to
leap almost out of my mouth. I
confidently calculated that every
moment was the time for their
attack, and fancied divers times
could hear them stealing through
the bushes upon us. The gleams
of the morning sun, however, at

length illumined the scene, but
not a vestige of the Indian army
remained; the living and the dead
had alike disappeared, and it
was not until then, it was ascer-
tained or even suspected, that
the savages had secure them-
selves from interruption, under
pretense of a night attack, had
thrown their dead, with weights
attached to them, in the river,
and retreated across it under
cover of darkness."

Of the men who participated
in the Battle of Point Pleasant,
we regret that no complete ros
ter has been preserved. How-
ever, the men who were in that
army were friends and neigh-
bors, and many of them related
by ties of blood and marriage, so
that a review of a few of them
will indicate (he character of the
men composing the army.

It will be seen by a review of
the history of the colonies that
prior to the Battle of Point
Pleasant, not only the Colonists
but England knew, as did Pat-
rick Henry when he made his
famous speech that "The War
was inevitable." The British
Government seeing the fomenta-
tion in the colonies had made re-
peated concessions; willing to re-
linquish, if necessary, all but the
principle of the Right of England
to levy taxes upon the Colonists
without giving them representa-
tion in the British Government.
The Colonists were astir with

35

intense excitement. The tea had
been thrown over board in Bos-
ton Harbor and the Port had been
closed by a bill passed by Parli-
mentin March of thatyear. Meet-
ings had been and were being held
protesting- against Royal oppres-
sion. That powerful engine of
resistance, Committees of Corre-
spondence had been formulating
their ideas of resistance and the
Virginia Assembly convened at
Williamsburg in May, had pass-
ed an independant resolution set-
ting forth that June 1st, 1774,
should upon the making effective
of the Port Bill be made "a day
of fasting and prayer to implore
the divine interposition for avert-
ing the heavy calamity, which
threatens the civil right of
America;" whereupon, the Earl
of Dtmmore, then Governor of
Virginia, at once dissolved the
Assembly. The Continental Con-
gress had already convened and
its every breath was ladened
with resistance of British op-
pression.

Is it to be wondered at and
is it- not the most natural
thing in the world, that Dun-
more would try to devise ways
and means to prevent Virginia
from participating in the federa-
tion of the Colonies; and what
more powerful instrument could
he" have set in motion to distract
their attention from the clouds
gathering in the East, than by
setting in motion a band of howl-

ing Indians on the frontier,
making it an absolute necessity
that Virginia protect her homes,
her women and children and her
property rights, and this danger
so eminent, could not be delayed.
So calling together the flower of
the Colonial Army of Virginia,
which he promised should be
united and together encounter
the Indians in their homes, he
should cause one branch to alone
be attacked, hoping they would
thus be destroyed and if only
temporarially defeated, they
would be so busy protecting the
frontier and their homes they
would have no time to go into
the Colonial Army, confederated
as they would be to resist tne Brit-
ish Army, already many of whom
were camping upon the plains of
Boston. But to the surprise of
Dunmore the Division of Lewis'
Army was victorious and the tide
of American interests was
changed.

Without the Army of Lewis,
which was the great mil-
itary training school of the Colo-
ny, many of whom went on into
the Revolution and became many
of them, officers of high rank, it
would have been impossible for
Virginia to have raised her quoto
of men and officers to have partici-
pated in that struggle for liber-
ty; and without Virginia the
Colonists would have thought it
impossible, as it would have been,
to have undertaken that strug-

36

gle for independance. Without
the entire support that Vir-
ginia gave George Rodgers Clark
who was in the Dunmore divis-
ion, but who later conquered the
North WestTerritory, weakening
the otherwise impregnable back-
ground that constantly threaten-
ed the frontier and in whose
territory did not close the strug-
gle for American Independance
until Waynes treaty twenty
years later.

We think the opinions of the
early writers of history we have
quoted, the natural circum-
stances surrounding Dunmore
at and previous to the Battle,
makes it plain that although the
battle was between the Colonists
and Indians it is beyond doubt
the first Battle of the Revolution,
and the Goverment of the United
States, while it has been tardy,
is fully justified in making the
declaration that the $10.000 ap-
propriated for the erection of a
monument is

"An act to aid in the erection
of a memorial structure at Point
Pleasant, West Virginia, to com-
memorate the Battle of the Revo-
lution, fought at that point be-
tween the Colonial troops and
Indians, October 10th, seventeen
hundred and seventy four."

While a shaft 82 feet high will
stand as a sentinel upon the site
where the dead were buried, form
whence the battle was directed
and subsequently the fort, built,

it is a pigmy as compared with
the fact that at last, after a lapse
of One Hundred and thirty-four
years, the Congress]of the United
States has officially called it as it
is a battle of the Revolution, and
if a battle of the Revolution it
must of necessity be the first, as
the hallowed Lexington was not
fought, until April 19th, 1775,
while that of Point Pleasant, was
fought October 10th, 1774.

The battle in its acquisition
of territory ceded by the Indians
and previously ceded by France
to Virginia but literally in con-
trol of the Indians until this
time, this followed by the ceding
of all the vast territory of the
Great North West by Virginia
to the infant republic at the close
of the Revolution with the cessa-
tion of Indian hostilities fol-
lowing the battle, permitting the
the Colonists to turn their atten-
tion to the expulsion of the Eng--
lish army and the overthrow of
the British yoke, the moral ef-
fect that it had on Virginia, and
and thus on the Colonies, made
it the farthest reaching in its ef-
fect an battle ever fought
on the American Continent.

The name of every man who
participated in that struggle
whether he protected the fron-
tier nearer home while the band
of stalwarts went forth to con-
quer the Indians and make se-
cure the wilderness, the men of
Wm. Christian's Regiment who

37

rendered such valliant service,
comingas they did whenthebattle
was over, the army exhausted
wounded and bleeding and in
time to gather up and bury the
slain, should all be honored and
preserved. Christain's men were
only delayed by their effort to
bring in supplies to the Army of
54000 pounds of flour on 400 pack
horses but 108 additional head of
cattle. They expected to join

Lewis Army and together march
on to encounter the Indians
upon the Pickaway Planes;
so that as a part of the Army
they are entitled to be enrolled
with the heroes of that battle,
which will be followed by the
roster so far as the writer has
been able to glean from all avail-
able sources, after many years
of careful research.

GENERAL ANDREW LEWI8

Biographical

General Andrew Lewis

Gen. Andrew Lewis, the hero
of the Battle was not only a gen-
tleman of education and refine-
ment, but was a past master in
the art of military tactics, Leav-
ing entered upon his career in
1742 as Captain of Malitia and
ten years later as head of Mali-
tia of bis county. He was with
Washington at Great Meadows
and Fort Necessity in 1754,
when he was twice wounded.
In 1755, he was detailed to build
forts hence was not present at
Braddock's disaster. In 1756,
he led the Big Sandy expedition
against the Shawnees. In 1758,
when, with Washington and Gen.
Forbes, at Fort DuQuesne, he
was wounded.

He surrendered to a French
officer, was imprisoned at Mon-
treal, was exchanged and saw
active service. In 1762 at his
request his company was dis-

banded. In 1763 be was ap-
pointed to Lieut, for Augusta
Co.

We next find him a member of
the Virginia House of Burgesses
and a member of a committee to
negotiate treaties. It was while
thus engaged at the treaty of
Fort Stanwix that the Governor
of New York said of him, "He
looks like a genius of the forest,
and, the very ground seems to
tremble under him as he walks
along." It is from Col. Stewart,
his biographer, we learn that
"He was upwards of six feet
high, of uncommon strength nnd
agility, and his form of the most
exact symmetry He had a
stern countenance 'and was of a
reserved and distant deportment,
which rendered his presence
more awful than engaging."
While Mr. Alexander Reed, of
Rockbridge County, Virginia,
who was with him at Point

40

Pleasant, describes him thus;
''He was a man of reserved man-
ners, and great dignity of char-
acter— somewhat of the order of
General Washington." General
Washington held him in such es-
teem that ne recommended that
he be made commander-in-chief
of the Continental army.

The Battle of Point Pleasant
was not only the pivotal point in
the life of the nation, but in the
life of General Lewis as well.
Heretofore he had fought as a
British subject. In defying the
orders of Lord Dunmore, the
Tory Governor, he was not only
among the first to defy Briton,
but the first to take up arms in
defiance of British authority and
from this time on we find him
enlisted in the cause of the col-
onists as against the English
Crown. It seems the irony of
fate that he should not have
lived to witness the surrender at
Yorktown. While enroute home
he died of a fever at the home of
bis friend, Col. Buford, and was
taken to his own estate "Rich-
field" where his remains were
interred Sept. 20, 1731, near the
town of Salem, where they re-
posed for many years in an un-
marked and neglected grave.
A few years ago, the Ladies of
the Margaret Lynn Lewis Chap-
ter, Daughters of the American
Revolution, of Roanoke, Virginia,
had his remains (which were
found well preserved) removed

to the East Hill Salem Cemetery,
where, in 1902, they erected a
stately shaft to his memory.
One of the six figures of Roger's
equestrian statute at Richmond,
commemorating famous Virgin-
ians, is that of General Andrew
Lewis, but the greatest of his
monuments is builded in the
hearts of a grateful American
Republic.

Beside his brother Col. Charles
Lewis, and John, son of his
brother William, Andrew had
three sons in the Battle of Point
Pleasant. What greater love
can a man have for his country
than, like Jacob of old, to lay his
sons as a sacrifice on his coun-
try's altar?

Col. Charles Lewis

While Andrew Lewis is known
as the "Hero of the Battle of
Point Pleasant," his brother,
Col. Charles Lewis, a brave sol-
dier, too, was called "The idol
of the army." While Andrew
had devoted his life to the cause
of his adopted country, he hav-
ing been born in Ireland where
his parents were then residing,
it was reserved for Col. Charles
to embody the completeness of
American association, he having
been born in America, being
the youngest child of John Lewis
and Margaret Lynn Lewis.
Thus he had the distinction not
only of dying on American soil,
but als o of having been born
there; in 1733, in the county of

41

Augusta, State of Virginia, and
was thus all his life known of
Virginia, loved of Virginia and
he sacrificed his life, satisfied
that he had given to Virginia
her lull measure of devotion.
He was mortally wounded while
leading a division of the army at
the outset of the Battle of Point
Pleasant and later was led to his
tent where in a few hours he ex-*
pired. Col. Andrew Lewis, his
nephew who was engaged in the
battle, says "He received his
wound early in the action but
did not let it be known until he*
had gotten the line of battle ex-
tended from the Ohio to Crooked
Creek, after which he asked
Captain Murray, his brother in
law, to let him lean on his shoul-
der and walk with him to his
tent, where he expired about 12
o'clock." Captain A r buckle
states that he received a wound
which in a few hours caused his
death. Roosevelt's winning of
the West says "The attack fell
first and with especial fury, on
the division of Charles Lewis
who himself was mortally wound-
ed at the very outset, be had not
taken a tree (the frontier expres-
sion for covering oneself behind
a tree trunk) but was in an open
piece of ground, cheering on his
men when he was shot. He
stayed with them until the line
was formed, and then walked
back to camp unassisted, giving
his gun to a man who was near

him ' Howe says of him.
"Charles Lewis was esteemed
the most skillful ot all the lead-
ers of the border warfare and
was as much beloved for his
noble and amiable qualities as he
was admired for his military
talents." On page 182 of
Howe's Virginia Its History &
Antiquities, we find a sketch
from his life;

"Charles Lewis, the youngest
son of John, is said never to have
spent one month at a time out of
active and arduous service.
Charles was the hero of many
a gallant exploit, which is
still trea'sured in the memories
of the descendants of the bor-
der riflemen, and there are few
families among the Alleghanies
where the name and deeds of
Charles Lewis are not familiar
as household words. On one oc-
casion, Charles was captured by
the Indians while on a hunting
excursion, and after having trav-
eled some two hundred miles,
barefoot, his arms pinioned be-
hind him, goaded on by the
knives of his remorseless cap-
tors, he effected his escape.
While traveling along the bank
of a precipice some twenty feet
in height, he suddenly, by a
strong muscular exertion, burst
the cords which bound him, and
plunged down the steep into the
bed of a mountain torrent. His
persecutors hesitated not to fol-
low. In a race of several him-

42

dred yards, Lewis had gained
some few yards upon his pur-
suers, when, upon leaping a
prostrate tree which lay across
his course, his strength sudden-
ly failed, and he fell prostrate
among- the weeds which had
grown up in great luxuriance
around the body of the tree,
Three of the Indians sprang
over the tree within a few feet
of where their prey lay conceal-
cealed; but with a feeling of the
most devout thankfulness to a
kind and superintending Provi-
dence, he saw them one by one*
disappear in the dark recesses
of the forest. He now bethought
himself of rising from his un-
easy bed, when lo a new enemy
appeared, in the shape of an
enormous rattlesnake, who had
thrown himself into the deadly
coil so near bis face tnat his
fangs were within a few inches
of his nose; and his enormous
rattle, as it waved to and fro,
once rested upon his ear. A
single contraction of the e>elid —
a convulsive shudder — the relax-
ation of a single muscle, and the
deadly beast would have sprung
upon him. In this situation he
lay for several minutes, when
the reptile, probably supposing
him to be dead, crawled over his
body and moved slowly away.
"I had eaten nothing,' said
Lewis to his companions, after
his return, "for many days; I had
no fire-arms, and I ran the risk

of dying with hunger, ere I
could reach the settlement; but
rather would I have died, than
made a meal of the generous
beast'."

Kercheval's History of the
Valley, describes the attire cf
Col. Charles Lewis on that day,
at page 114, as follows: " ol
Chas. Lewis, who had arrayed
himself in a gorgeous scarlet
waistcoat, against the advice of
his friends, thus rendering him-
self a conspicuous mark for the
Indians, was mortally wounded
early in action; yet was able to
walk back after receiving the
wound, into his own tent, where
he expired. He was met on his
way by the commander-in-chief,
his brother, Col. Andrew Lewis,
who remarked to him," I expect-
ed something fatal would befall
you," to which the wounded
officer calmly replied, "It is the
fate of war." The same author
says at page 115, "Col. Lewis, a
distinguished and meritorious
officer, was moi tally wounded
by the fi:st fire of the Indians,
but walked into the camp and
expired in his own tent."

Peyton's History of Augusta
County says "He abandoned
himself too much to his passion
for glory and forgot the wide
difference between an officer and
a private, fie was not inferior
to his brother, the General, in
courage, intrepidity and military
genius; he surpassed him in

43

some respects, he knew how to
oblige with a better grace, how
to win the hearts of those about
him, with a more engaging- be-
havior. He consequently ac-
quired the esteem and affection
of his men, in a most remarka-
ble manner. To perpetuate the
memory of his public and private
virtues, his eminent services in
the field and his heroic fate, the
General Assembly of Virginia,
in 1816, named Lewis County in
bis honor."

Col. Charles ! ewi's

By his kinsmen be was consid-
ered the "flower of the flock."
Like his brother, he was a man
of splendid physique and without
disparaging his kindred, he was
best loved because of his high
degree of morality, spotless in-
tegrity and acknowledged brave-
ry. His long and active military
career had made him a hero in
the eyes of bis comrades from
the Braddock campaign to the
hour of his death, and while had
he lived, he doubtless would have
added new lustre to his name in
the continued struggle of the
Revolution; after all, he had but
one life to offer up to his country
and at this crucial moment no
doubt it was needed most. His
conduct inspired the army.
The sacrifice of bis life armed
anew his companies and stimu-
lated them to greater feats of
daring. Thwaite's Dunmnre
War sa^s "Charles Lewis was

popular and beloved by all the
western army. His loss was
a general affliction." Dr. Bale's
"Trans-Allegheny says: "Col-
onel Charles Lewis was said to
be the idol of the army. He had
a large, active and honorable
military experience from Brad-
dock's War down to death. And
it is believed that he would have
achieved greater honors and dis-
tinction in the Revolutionary
struggle, if his life had been
spared, but his brilliant career
was ended in glory on this field."

The charge he made at Point
Pleasant was in the face of a
fearless band of adversaries.
When Gen. Andrew Lewis select-
ed his brother to take command
of the left wing of the army in
the first attempt to repulse Corn-
stalk and his fearful braves, he
selected his brother to bear that
peril, not that he loved him less,
but that he knew the army need-
ed his courageous example. Col.
William Preston, in writing of
bis death to Patrick Henry,
said: "Poor Charles Lewis was
shot in clear ground, encourag-
ing his men to advance. If the
loss of a good man, a sincere
friend, a brave officer deserves a
tear he certainly is entitled to it."

At the close of the conflict, his
mortal remains were laid to rest
upon the reservation of forty
feet square upon the present
sight of Tu Endie Wei Park,
where the Kanawha and Ohio

44

meet. Here, be is buried beside
the other dead of that battle.
No stone as yet has ever mark-
ed his resting place, save the four
granite corner stones erected in
1005 by the Col. Charles Lewis
Chapter Daughters of the Aineri
can Revolution at Point Pleasant.
While no monument has as yet
been reared to mark the last rest-
ing place of this great man, a
tribute due him from his own
loved ones, as well as from a
grateful nation; it is equally a
matter of congratulation that
though tardy the goverment has
donated a small amount §10.000
which with the $6.000 in the
bands of the State Commission
has been pledged in the contract
let for a monument. But greater
than this monument is the recog-
nition of the Goverment of the
status of the battle as regards
the Revolution, standing, as it
does, on the heels of Indian
depredations on the western
frontier and on the threshold of
the American Revolution for Am-
erican Independence. This hon-
or so longdelayed, will at last have
written this page of American
history correctly when a stately
monument shall bear the inscrip-
tion:

Battle of Point Pleasant

October 10, 1774.

First Battle of the American

Revolution.

Col. John Field

Col. John Field born in Cul-

pepper County in 1720 of good
family is buried beside Col.
Charles Lewis, his friend and
comrade. He received his fatal
wound at the Battle of Point
Pleasant, while bravely checking
the Indians. He rallied his
troops who had begun to waver,
and, for a time, seemed likely to
be repulsed. Col. Field had
been with Braddock and had
seen frontier service from that
date, both as a militia officer and
as a surve3*or. In 1765 he served
in the Virginia Legislature, in
1766 he was made Colonel of
Malitia. His troops at Point
Pleasant were a volunteer compa-
ny, raised by him in his own
county which he united with that
of Gen. Lewi«.

Col. William Flemming

Col. William Flemming was
renewed not only as a military
genius, but as a learned physi-
cian and gentleman of culture.
While twice severely wounded at
the Battle of Point Pleasant, he
recovered and was subsequently
acting Governor of the State of
Virginia. He was a Scotchman
of proud lineage. Born Feb. 18,
1729. Prior to Dunmores war
he was Lieut, under Gen. Forbes
in 1760-61. In 1762 he wasCapt.
under Col. Adam Stephens at
Vaux's and Stonakers forts. In
1763 he married Anne Christian.
His home was at "Belmont" in
Montgomery Co. The wounds
he received at Point Pleasant

45

disabled him for active perticipa-
tion at the war of the Revolution,
but be was County Lieutenant,
in further defense, in his country
against Indians and State Sen-
ator 1780-81, acting Governor dur-
ing the Cornwallis invasion 1781
Twice commissioner to settle
local battles with Kentucky;
member Virginia convention rat-
ifying the constitution of 1788.
He was benevolent and beloved
and as a physician and surgeon
his ministration to humanity was
most extensive. His death Aug.
24th, 1795 was the result of
wounds received at the Battle of
Point Pleasant.

Capt. Evan Shelby

Capt. Shelby, who with his
two sons, was in the Battle of
Point Pleasant, was a ranking
officer after the death of Colonels
Lewis and Field and the wound-
ing of Fleming, until the arrival
of Colonel Christian's regiment.
It was Evan Shelby who, with
his and the companies of Math-
ews and Stewart in the ruse, ex-
ecuted the flank movement up
Crooked Creek, thatled Cornstalk
to believe that Lewis had been re-
enforced, possibly by Dunmore
who had played him false and
thus decided the fortunes of the
day. Captain Shelby became
Colonel Shelby of the Revolution,
whose distinguished career ia
followed in the history of Ken-
tucky and Tennessee.

He was born in Wales in 1720,

He early emigrated to Maryland.
He commanded a company under
Forbes in 1758. In 1771 he set-
tled on the Holston. In 1776 he
was with Christian in the Cher-
okee expedition. In 1779 he led
a successful expedition upon the
Chickamauga towns, having been
appointed by Virginia a general
of Malitia. He continued in the
service throughout the Revolu-
tion engaged principally upon the
sea board. He rose to the rank
of Colonel and before the close of
the war to that of General. He
died at King's Mountain, Dec.,
4th, 1794.

' Isaac Shelby

Isaac Shelby who served as a
Lieutenant under his father
Capt. Evan Shelby at the battle
of Point Pleasant, was born at
North Mountain, Md., Dec., llth,
1750, where his grand-father set-
tled upon his arrival from Wales.
He had removed with his father
to the present site of Bristol,
Tenn., prior to the Dunmore
War and was engaged in feeding
and herding cattle. He served
throughout the Revolutiou dis-
tinguishing himself at Camden,
King's Mountain and Long
Island Flats. Governor Patrick
Henry promoted him to a Cap-
taincy and commissioned him
Commissary general of the Vir-
ginia forces. When Sevier in
1779 projected the expedition
that captured the British stores,
at Chicamauga, Shelby epuipped
and supplied the troops by the

46

pledge of his individual credit.
Governor Tbos. Jefferson com
missioned him a Major of Vir-
ginia, but a survey proved him
Jo be a resident of North Caroli-
na, when he was appointed a
Colonel by Gov. Caswell. He
distinguished himself at Thick-
etty Fork, Cedar Springs and
Musgraves Mills. Retreating
across the Alleghenies after the
disasterous defeat at Camden,
he with John Sevier planned the
remarkable campaign which re-
sulted in the battle of King's
Mountain, the high water mark
of the Revolution that turned the
'tide in favor of the patriot army.
He did valliant service at the
battle of the Cowpens as well as
at Charleston. He was largely
unstrumental in preserving Ken-
tucky to the Colonists as against
an alliance with Spain. He was
six times chosen a Presidential
elector for Kentucky. ID 1812
he became the first Governor of
Kentucky, which he accepted
with great reluctance and accept-
ed only that he might again aid
his country as against Great
Britain. He organized 4000 vol-
unteers and at the age of 63
years led them in person to the
re-enforcement of Gen'l Wm.
Henry Harrison enabling him to
profit by the victory of Perry at
Lake Erie. Congress voted him
a gold Medal, and the Kentucky
Legislature a vote of thanks.
In 1783 he married Miss Susan-

nah, daughter of Captain Na-
thanial Hart. He established
himself on the first settlement
and pre-emption granted in Ken-
tucky which he made his home,
residing thereon 43 years. He
died July 18th, 1826, aged 76
years. He was a strict Presby-
terian.

John Jones.

John Jones was born in Cul-
pepper County, Virginia, in 1755,
and enlisted in the army of
Andrew Lewis and was in the
Battle of Point Pleasant, follow
ing which, upon his return to
Culpepper} he enlisted in the
patriot army and served
throughout the Revolution. In
1792. he obtained patents for
land for 359 acres on the
Kanawha River and that same
year for 400 acres more. In 1797
he obtained patents for 400 acres
in Teays Valley and land on
Paint Creek, besides making
purchases from the state. He
owned from Paint Creek to the
Narrows on Kanawha, including
the present sites of Pratt and
Dego. In the Clifton Cemetery
above Paint Creek, his remains
were interred, a slab bearing in-
scription,

"In Memory of John Jones who
departed This life January 7,

1838, Aged 83 Years."
John Jones married Frances
Morris, a sister of Win. and
Leonard Morris. He was hos-
pitable and a good citizen. The

47

Baptist Church founded at Kel-
ley's Creek in 1796 was largely
due to his interest and generosi-
ty.

His will, recorded March,
1838, mentions his wife, Frances,
and children, Gabriel, who re-
turned to Culpepper County, Va.;
William; Nancy who married
-- Huddleston; Thomas;
Levi; and Frances, who married
Sbelton and were the progeni-
tors of the prominent Nicholas
County, W. Va., family of that
name.

John Draper.

Lieut. John Draper, of the
Battle of Point Pleasant, was
born in 1730, and was one of the
pioneer settlers of Drapers
Meadows, where, in 1755, occur-
red that dreadful massacre, in
which his wife and sister were
captured by the Indians. In 1765,
he removed to Drapers Valley
on the line between Pulaski and
Wythe Counties, Va. He was
commissioned a Lieutenant in
one of the Fincastle Companies
in 1774. He died in 1828 at the
age of nearly ninety-four years.

Prominent members of the
family are still resident of Dra-
pers Valley. In 1886, John S.
Draper, a great grandson of
Lieut. John Draper, was the
owner of the beautiful estate.
John Draper was twice married;

his first wife was Bettie .

After her return from captivity,
she bore four sons and three

daughters, she died in 1774.
aged 42 years, and in 1776, he
married Mrs. Jane Crockett,
who bore him two daughters,
Alice and Rhoda. By the hrst
marriage, the sons were George,
James, John and Silas. The
names of the other two daugh-
ters are to us unknown.

Benjamir Logan.

Benjamin Logan, born in
Augusta County, Va., 1743, was,
in 1764, a sergeant in Boquets's
Army. In 1771, he moved to the
Holston Valley. He was a
Lieutenant in the Point Pleasant
Campaign. In 1775, he moved to
Kentucky and built Logan's
Station or fort which was besieg-
ed by Indians. Logan went to
Holston settlement for ammuni-
tion, returning on foot in ten
days. In 1779, he was second in
command of the Bowman expedi-
tion. He was a noted Indian
fighter and allied himself with
Kentucky, as against the
Spaniards at New Orleans. He
removed to Shelby County, Ken-
tucky, where he died in 1802.
William Campbell.

William Campbell was born in
Augusta County, Virginia, in
1745, died at Rocky Mills, Han
over Co., Va., August 22, 1781.
In 1767 he moved to the Holston
Valley. In 1774 he was appoint-
ed Captain of militia and was in
Col. Christian's regiment at
Point Pleasant. In September,
1775, he commanded a company

48

at Williamsburg, in Patrick
Henry's regiment and under
General Lewis assisted in dis-
lodging1 Governor Dunmore from
Gwynn's Island in July, 1776.
In 1777 he was made Lieutenant
of Militia in the new county of
Washington. In 1779, he aided
in driving the Tories from the
Holston Valley. In 1780. he was
promoted to a colonelcy of the re-
giment and chosen to represent
his county in the legislature.
At King's Mountain he distin-
guished himself and was com-
mended by Washington, Gates
and Greene. He was with Gen.
Greene at Guilford Court House
in March', 1781. He was made
a Brigadier General of Militia
and served under Lafayette in
the Battle of Jamestown, soon
after which he died. Lafayttee
said of him "His services at
King's Mountain and Guilford
would do his memory everlasting
honor and ensure him a high
rank among the defenders of
liberty in the American Cause",
while Jefferson declared "Gen.
Campbell's friends might quietly
rest their heads on the pillow of
his renown." His wife was a
sister of Patrick Henry.

Arthur Campbell.

Arthur Campbell, a cousin of
Gen. Wm. Campbell, was born
in Augusta County, Va., in 1743.
At fifteen he was captured by
the Indians and carried to Lake
Erie. Escaping, he was employ-

ed as a guide, receiving therefor
one thousand acres of land which
he located near the present site
of Louisville, Ky. In 1772, he
was a Justice of Fincastle County,
Va., and later a Major of Militia.
After the Battle of Point Pleas-
ant, 1775, he represented his
county in the Virginia Assem-
bly. In 1776, he was chosen
County Lieutenant for Washing-
ton County, which office he held
for thirty years. He joined
Sevier in the movement to estab-
lish the state of Franklin for
which Patrick Henry removed
him from office and the legisla-
ture re-instated him In his
latter life he joined bis sons at
Middlesburg, Ky., where he
died in 1811.

John Campbell.

Captain John Campbell, a
younger brother of Arthur, a
lieutenant at Point Pleasant,
was a captain at the Battle of
Long Island Flats (1776) and
served as County Clerk of Wash-
ington County from 1779 to 1815.

Joseph Mayse.

Joseph Mayse, who partici
pated in the Battle of Point
Pleasant, was from Bath County,
Virginia. In April, 1840, he
died, being in his 89th year. He
had served as a magistrate in his
district for nearly fifty years.
He was a man of such remarka-
ble memory he was considered
an "official record." He was
twice high sheriff of Bath Coun-

49

ty. His health was always per-
fect and he boasted he had never
taken a dose of medicine.

Gen. Andrew Moore.

Andrew Moore, a lawyer by
profession, was born in Connis-
cello, Augusta, now Rockbridge,
County, Va. In 1774, he was
admitted to the Bar. In October
of that year he was with Andrew
Lewis's Army at Point Pleasant.
In 1776, as a Lieutenant in the
patriot army, he participated at
Saratoga, where he was promoted
to a captaincy and served there-
after three years. The Virginia
Legislature made him brigadier
general of militia and in 1808
major general.

Gen. Moore had the distinction
of being the only man west of
the Blue Ridge, prior to the civil
war, who ever represented Vir-
ginia in the Senate of the United
States; which was during the ad-
ministration of President Jeffer-
son. He was a member of the
Virginia Assembly from 1781 to
1789 and again from 1798 to 1800.
In 1788, he was a delegate to the
convention which ratified the
United States Constitution. He
was a member of Congress from
Virginia during the entire ad-
ministration of President Wash-
ington. In 1800, he was elected
to the United States Senate,
where he served three years.
In 1810, President Jefferson ap-
pointed him United States Mar-
shall for the state of Virginia,

which office he was filling at the
time of his death. His son,
Samuel Moore, represented Vir-
ginia in the Legislature and in
Congress, — a member of the
Virginia Constitutional Conven-
tion 1829. In 1861, Samuel
Moore opposed the secession
of Virginia, but, going with his
state, he served in the Confede
rate Army. The family have
always been distinguished.

George NathewS,

George Mathews was born in
Augusta County, Virginia, in
1739, and died August 30, 1812.
At twenty-two years of age he
led a volunteer company against
the Indians. He was in com-
mand of a company of Augusta
troops at Point Pleasant, Oct.
10, 1774, and participated with
the patriot army throughout the
Revolution. He was engaged at
Brandywine. At Germantown
he received nine bayonet wounds,
was captured with his whole reg-
iment and confined in a prison
ship at New York until Decem-
ber, 1781. He then joined Gen.
Nathaniel Greene's army in com-
mand of the Third Virginia Reg-
iment. In 1785, he removed with
his family to Georgia and settled
in Oglethorpe County. In 1781-
1791 he represented Georgia in
Congress; was Governor of
Georgia, 1793-6. He was briga-
dier general of Georgia. In 1811,
he was authorized by the Presi-
dent of the United States to take

50

possession of West Flordia and
captured Amelia Island. His
son, George, became a Supreme
Judge of Louisiana. He admit-
ted no superiors but Washington.
He was short, stout, erect, fea-
tures bluff, hair red, complexion-
florid. He died when on a visit
to Washington and is buried in
St. Paul's churchyard. His
four children, were Mrs.
Andrew Barrv, of Staunton, Va.,
Mrs. Gen. Samuel Blackburn,
and Mrs. Isaac Telfair, of Staun-
ton, and one son, Judge George
Mathews, above mentione'd. He
was three times married, (1) to
Miss Amelia Paul, (2) to Mrs
Margaret Reed, of Staunton, and
(3) to Mrs. Flowers, of Missis-
sippi. He was divorced from
his second wife.

Sampson Mathews*
Sampson Mathews, Commis-
sary of Col. Charles Lewis's
Regiment, was called "Master
Drover of the Cattle." In 1756,
Deputy Sheriff Sampson
Mathews assumed the functions
of Chancellor of Augusta County.
In 1764, he was appointed a
Justice of the Peace for Augusta.
In 1776, with Alexander St.
Clair, he was appointed by the
state of Virginia as trustee "to
erect at public expense and su-
perintend a manufactory at such
place as they may think proper
for the manufacture of sail duck,'
this preparatory for equipment
of a Virginia fleet for Revolution-

ary service. He became Col.
Sampson Mathews of the Revo-
lution. In 1781, he commanded
the regiment that repelled Ar-
nold's invasion of Virginia. He
was one of a committee to draft
instructions for the members of
the Virginia Convention at Rich-
mond, Feb. 22, 1775.

Col. Joseph Crockett.

Nothing can be truer than that
God provides men for the hour.
Among the one hundred men
who participated in the Battle of
Point Pleasant, and went on to
become settlers of Kentucky,
that state so open to the prey of
the Indians that its first three
years saw more people slaughter-
ed by Indians than that state had
white population at the end of
that time, had among its other
emigrants who were in the Battle
of Point Pleasant, Col. Joseph
Crockett, for a sketch of whose
life we are indebted to his illus-
trious grandson, Col. Bennett H.
Young, of Louisville, Ky. It is
as follows :

"My great grandfather, Col.
Joseph Crockett, was born in
Albermarle, and was one of the
men who marched with Andrew
Lewis, with Charles Lewis, and
with William Russell, and was
engaged in the conflict at Point
Pleasant. He was then a young
man.

"He returned shortly after
the battle of Point Pleasant, and
remained for several months as

51

First Lieutenant in a company of
Colonial Militia that was station-
ed at Point Pleasant. When the
fires of the Revolutionary War
were kindled, and it was neces-
sary for every man to go to the
front to resists British invasions,
the Indians were to be left a lit-
tle while to themselves. Vir-
ginia and North Carolina were
then sending their pioneers to
make the settlements of Ken-
tucky which were, under God's
providence and direction, one of
the chief agencies in the success
of the colonies in their great
struggle against the mother
country. My ancestor organized
a company and marched to the
front. He was successively a-
Captain, Major and Lieutenant-
Colonel. He was a Major in
Morgan's riflemen, and recruit-
ed two companies for that cele-
brated organization. He was a
Lieutenant at White Marsh, was
a Captain when Burgoyne sur-
rendered, was engaged in all the
battles previous to that great
event. He was at Princeton
and Trenton, and Valley Forge
and Red Bank, and in 1779, he
raised a regiment known as the
Crockett Regiment, which was
sent west to assist George Rod-
gers Clark in his war with the
Indians, and was with that dis-
tinguished soldier, second in
command, in all the skirmishes
and battles with the northwest-
ern Indians on the Ohio and

Miami Rivers, and helped to de-
stroy Chillicothe, and the Indian
towns* on the Wabash, and
throughout the northwest, and
in these battles stayed the up-
lifted hand of the cruel and
avenging Indian, who would
otherwise have wreaked his
cruelties upon the frontier set-
tlements of both Pennsylvania
and Virginia and thus coming in
the rear of these enemies, aveng-
ed many of the wrongs heaped
upon the Virginia, Pennsylvania
and Kentucky settlements."

James Robertson.

James Robertson, (by some
authors written Robinson) , with
Val. Sevier, discovered the In-
dians before the Battle of Point
Pleasant. He was born i n
Brunswick County, Va., 1742,
died in Chickasaw County,
Tenn., Sept. 1, 1814. He was
the personal friend of Daniel
Boone. He did more to consum-
mate a peace between the In-
dians and whites than any man
in Tennessee, when he became
the founder of Nashville, where
he withstood, with a handful of
men, a siege of one thousand In-
dians. Flattering offers were
made him by the Spanish gov-
ernment to cut the territory of
Tennessee loose from the gov-
ernment, and, with Watauga and
Kentucky, establish an indepen-
dent country which he indignant-
ly declined. In 1790, he was ap-
pointed a brigadier general by

52

Washington. He shared with
Sevier the honors and affections
of Tennessee.

John Smith.

Ensign John Smith, of the
battle of Point Pleasant, left
sons, Abraham, of Rockingham
Co., Joseph and Silas H. of
Augusta Co., and daughter Nan-
cy, who married Wm. Crawford,
His family have been distin-
guished.

Benjamin Harrison.

Benjamin Harrison command-
ed a company at Point Pleasant
In July, 1775, he was appoi d
Captain of a company of Minute
Men. In 1778, he was appointed
Lieutenant Colonel of Militia for
Rockingham County. He was a
native af Loudon County, Vir-
ginia. He was the founder of
Harrisonburg, Va. He died in
1819.

Hugh and James Allen.

Hugh Allen was a Lieutenant
in Col. Charles Lewis's Regi-
ment at Point Pleasant, where
he lost his life and was buried
beside Col. Lewis. His three
sons, John, William and Hugh,
all settled in Kentucky. His
brother, James Allen, who lived
eight miles from Staunton, was
Captain of Militia in 1756 and
was in the battle of Point Pleas-
ant, and witnessed the death of
his brother. He died in 1810,
aged ninety-four years and was
an elder in the Augusta Stone
Church for sixty-four years.

Judge Samuel McDowell.

Judge Samuel McDowell who,
as Captain McDowell, command-
ed a company of Augusta troops
at the Battle of Point Pleasant,
was a native of Rockbridge Coun-
ty, Va. He married Mary Me-
Clung, and, with his seven sons
and two daughters, in 1784, emi-
grated to Danville, Ky. He was
one of the first Kentucky Court
and was a member of the conven-
tion that framed for Kentucky
the first Constitution. He pre-
sided over nine political conven-
tions which convened in Dan-
ville from 1784 to 1790.

In 1776, he was a member of
the Virginia House of Burgesses,
representing Rockbridge Coun-
ty. As Col. McDowell, he com-
manded a Rockbridge Company
during the Revolution. On
April 20, 1781, he wrote the Gov-
ernor of Virginia, when a draft
had been ordered from his coun-
ty for April 26th, that if the men
were drawn the county would be
ruined, as two thirds of the men
had been engaged in the servi-
ces all the time and there were
no new ones to put in the
crops, and that he had marched
with 200 men to join Gen.
Greene before the battle of
Guilford Court House.

John Sevier.

John Sevier, born in Rocking-
ham Co., Va., Sep. 22, 1745, died
near Fort Decatur, Ga., Sept.
24, 1815, was educated at Fred-

53

ericksburg, Va., married at 17
years of age and became the
the founder of New Market on
the Shenandoah. In 1772, he
was appointed Captain of the
Virginia line and moved to Wat-
auga. In the Dunmore War, he
resumed his rank in the "Virginia
line and participated in the Bat-
tle of Point Pleasant. When
what is now Tennessee was or-
ganized into Washington Dis-
trict, North Carolina, John
Sevier was chosen a delegate to
the legislature. In 1777, he
again represented Watauga and
procured for his state, courts and
rights of extension. He was ap-
pointed clerk of the court and
district judge and, with his
friend, James Robertson, was in
control of the judicial and admin-
istrative functions of the settle-
ment. He was elected colonel
and enlisted without exception
every able bodied man between
the ages of 16 and 50. With Col.
Isaac Shelby he planned the bat-
tle of King's Mountain. He
continued to command the forces
against the Indians. When the
new state, Franklin, afterwards
Tennessee, was organized, he
took the oath of Governor March
1, 1785. When the new state be-
came a part of the Union, he was
the first representative to Con-
gress from the valley of the Mis-
sissippi, 1789-1790, and in 1796, '
when Tennessee became a state,
he was elected its first Governor

which office he filled for three
years. He three times repre-
sented Tennessee as a state in
Congress. He was in the ac-
tice service of his country from
the age of 17 years to 70. As
long as he lived he was the real
seat of power in Tennessee- A
monument in Nashville attests
to his memory and Sevier Coun-
ty in Tennessee commemorates
his fame.

Valentine Sevier.

Valentine Sevier, who was a
seargent in Evan Shelby's com-
pany and a younger brother of
Gen. John Sevier, in 1779, was a
Captain in the Chickamauga
Campaign and led a company
against the British in North Car-
olina, 1780, which culminated in
the Battle of King's Mountain.
He rose to the rank of Militia
Colonel and died at Clarksville,
Tenn., in 1800.

James Harrod.

James Harrod who had been
in Kentucky in the spring and
summer of 1774, was with Col.
Charles Lewis. He built the
first cabin in Kentucky. He be-
came Col. Harrod of the Revolu-
tion, e was a member of the
first Kentucky Legislature. He
was an able assistant of Geo.
Rodgers Clark in securing am-
munition. He declined to accept
the appointment of Major of the
first Regimental Militia of Ken-
tucky. Harrodsburg Kentucky,
is named for him. A man named

54

Bridges with whom he had had

litigation murdered him, — the

date is thought to be July, 1793.

William Russell.

William Russell was but fif-
teen years of age when par-
ticipating in the Battle of
Point Pleasant. During the
Revolution he rose to the Rank
of Colonel. He was a Lieutenant
at the Battle of King's Mountain
and Guilford Court House. Af-
ter the Revolution he settled in
Fayette County, Kentucky. He
was appointed to command a
regiment in the regular army.
In 1792, he represented Fayette
County in the Kentucky legisla-
ture, which was repeated a dozen
times until 1825, when he con-
tracted a cold at a public meet-
ing where he was called to pre-
side, which resulted in his death.
James Montgomery.

Captain James Montgomery,
who was in the Battle of Point
Pleasant, , settled in Kentucky,
as did James Knox, who was in
Isaac Kite's Company. Others
of Isaac Kite's Company who
settled in Kentucky were James
McCullosh, John Shelp, William
Field, Thomas Glenn, David Wil-
liams, James Brown, John Cowan,
John Wilson, Abraham Chapline
and John Clark.

John Crawford.

John Crawford represented
Montgomery County, Kentucky,
in the Legislature in 1812.

William Christian.

While Col. Wm. Christian was
not an actual participant in the
Battle of Point Pleasant, he,
witti his three hundred volun-
teers troops, not arriving until
11 p. m., the night of the battle,
yet they did noble services to the
bleeding army and the valiant
dead. He was a native of Augus-
ta County and educated atStaun-
ton. He participated in the
Braddock campaign. He mar-
ried a sister of Patrick Henry
and settled in Bottetourt County.
In 1775, he settled in Kentucky
and Christian County is named
in his honor. In April, 1776, he
was killed by a party of Indians
who had stolen his horses and in
whom, with a party of friends,
he was in pursuit.

George Slaughter.

Col. George Slaughter, a son-
in-law of Col. Field, after the
Battle, settled in Kentucky and
was one of eight delegates to
Congress out of the city of
Louisville.

James Trimble.

James Trimble, a participant
in the Battle of Point Pleasant,
aged then but eighteen years,
had in 1770, been a prisoner of
the Indians. In 1780 or 81, he
emigrated to Woodford, Ky., be-
ing one of the earliest settlers.
In 1804, he died in Kentucky,
having made preparations to
move to Hillsborough, Ohio,
where his family removed after

55

his death. The Trimbles be-
came eminent. Allen Trimble
became Governor of Ohio. Wm.
A. Trimble was a Major in the
War of 1812, and in 1819 a Lieu-
tenant Colonel in the Regular
Army and a United States Sena-
tor from Ohio.

John Dickenson.

Captain John Dickenson, who
commanded one of Col. Charles
Lewis Companies of Augusta
County troops and who was
wounded during the Battle of
Point Pleasant, was left with
Col. Fleming at the fort when
Andrew Lewis, with his troops,
advanced into ^Obio. In 1785, he
surveyed 502 acres of land at the
mouth of Campbell's Creek on
the Kanawha River. In 1777, he
commanded, as a Colonel with
Major Samuel McDowell, the
Bottetourt troops, as well as
troops, from Augusta County,
and marched to the defense of
the fort at Point Pleasant, ac-
companied by Capt. Hall's com-
pany of Rockbridge volunteers,
numbering in all about 700 men,
and he witnessed the murder of
Cornstalk, which with the officers
in command he tried to prevent.
In 1791, when Bath County was
organized, he was appointed one
of the first gentlemen justices of
that county which honor he de-
clined. He died in 1799, owning
large tracts of land in Bath,
Greenbrier and Kanawha Coun-
ties, besides large holdings in

Kentucky. He left sons, Adam
and John and daughters Nancy,
married Joseph Kinkcaid, Mary,
married Samuel Shrewsbury and
Jane, who was the wife of Char-
les Lewis son of Col. Charles
Lewis, some of the descendants
of the latter still being residents
of this county.

Anthony Bledsoe.

Anthony Bledsoe, born in Cnl-
pepper County, in 1733, in 1774,
moved to the neighborhood of the
Shelby's. He was a magistrate
of Botetourt, Fincastle and
Washington Counties, and a
member of the Virginia Assem-
bly from Washington County,
1777-78. He moved to Bledsoe's
Lick, North Carolina, and repre-
sented his district in the assem-
bly of his state from 1785, to
1788, when he was killed by In-
dians. He was in charge of the
commissary under Col. Christain
at Point Pleasant with the rank
of major. He commanded the
forces at Long Island until July,
1777, and in 1779, went out
against the Chickamaugas and
did not participate in the Battle
of King's Mountain because he
felt it was his duty to remain at
home and protect the frontier.
William Cocke.

Captain William Cocke, of the
Battle of Point Pleasant, served
in the legislature of four states
and in the federal senate, as well
as was prominent in his military
career. He was born in 1748, in

56

Amelia County, Virginia He
studied law and removed to the
Holston Valley. He was a
brilliant orator and popular.
After the Dunmore War he settl-
ed for a while in Boonesborough,
Ky., but returned to the Watau^a
and participated in the Chero-
kee Campaign. In 1777, he was a
member of the Virginia Assem-
bly. In 1780 he led a company
at King's Mountain. He was
made a Brigadier General of
Tennessee and, in 1796, one of
the federal senators and was re-
elected in 1799.

In 1809 he was elected a circuit
judge of Tennessee. In 1812 he
removed to Columbus, Miss., and
enlisted as a private in the war
of that year and soon rose to dis-
tinction. He died in 1828 at
Columbus, Miss.

John Sawyer.

Col. John Sawyer, born in Vir-
ginia 1745, died in Knox County,
Tenn., in 1831, and was with the
Shelby's at Point Pleasant. In
1776, he served in the Cherokee
Campaign and in 1779 in the
Chickamauga expedition and
commanded under Gen. Shelby a
company at King's Mountain.
He was a Major, next a Colonel
and was a representative to the
state assembly, of Tennessee.
Joseph Hughey.

Joseph Hughey, of Shelby's
Company, was killed when at
tempting to bring the news of
the Indians' presence to camp

before the battle. James Moon-
ey, who accompanied him, suc-
ceeded in reaching the camp,
but was killed during the battle.
Philip Love.

Capt. Philip Love later served
as a Colonel in Christian's
Cherokee Campaign in 1776.
Ellis Hughes.

Ellis Hughes, who is thought
to have been the last survivor of .
the patriots of the Battle of Point
Pleasant, went, after Wayne's
treaty, to Ohio and died March,
1845, at Utica, N. Y., where he
was highly respected. He was
buried with military honors.

Reared in his native state Vir-
ginia, nurtured amid the scenes
of forest savagery, wherein by
fndian depredations he lost his
father and sweetheart, it is not
surprising that he pursued the
dusky foe until he had disappear-
ed from Virginia and from his
adopted home, Ohio.

John Steele.

John Steele, who was wounded
during the engagement at Point
Pleasant, was born in Augusta
County, Virginia, about 1755.
He was an officer in the Battle of
Point Pleasant and served
throughout the Revolution. He
was again wounded at the Battle
of Germantown. He was for
many years a member of the Ex-
ecutive Council of Virginia and
in the administration of Presi-
dent John Adams, was a commis-
sioner to treat with the Cherokee

57

Indians. From 1798 to 1801 he
was Secretary of the Mississippi
Territory.

Azariah Davis.

A/.ariah Davis, of the Battle of
Point Pleasant, was a member of
Harrod's Company. He was
one of themembers of the First
Kentucky Legislature and is
mentioned (1775) among the
first settlers of Harrodsburg,
Kentucky.

John Todd.

John Todd became one of the
founders of Louisville, Ky. He
was with Col. George Slaughter.

Chas. E. Cameron.

Chas. E. Cameron and bis
brothers, Hugh and George Cam-
eron, were with the Virginia
troops at Point Pleasant in which
engagement George Cameron
was killed. They were brothers-
in-law of Col. Charles Lewis,
who was killed in that battle,
whose wife Sarah Murry, was
their half sister. George Cam-
eron resembled in person and
being his distinguished father,
Dr. John Cameron, of Staunton,
who had emigrated from Scot-
land. Charles Cameron served
throughout the Revolution, as a
Lieutenant and was with the
Virginia troops at the surrender
of Yorktown In 1790 he was
one of the gentlemen justices of
Augusta County. On December
14, 1790, he received a land grant

in Bath County, Va., where he
located, about four miles from
Warm Springs. He accumulat-
ed large land interests. His
residence of stone was magnifi-
cent for its time and overlooked
the Jackson River. Major Cam-
eron became the first Clerk of
Bath County, serving both courts
for a number of years. After
the Revolution, he became Colo-
nel of Militia. As a personal
friend of Gen. Lafayette, he was
presented by him with a beauti-
ful cane which he used and prized
until his death, which occurred
June 14, 1829. He was survived
by his widow, Mrs. Rachel Prim-
rose Warwick and one son, An-
drew Warwick Cameron.
Silas Marian

Silas Harlan, of Berkeley
County, Virginia, was in Captain
Harrod's Company and, after the
Battle of Point Pleasant, emi-
grated to Kentucky. In 1779,
he commanded a company of
spies under Gen. Geo. Rodgers
Clark in the Illinois campaign.
Gen. Clark pronounced him one
of the bravest and most accom-
plished soldiers who ever fought
by his side. He was a Major at
the Battle of Blue Licks, where
he fell. He was but thirty years
of age and unmarried.
Jacob Warwick

Jacob Warwick, of Bath Coun-
ty, Virginia, on the morning of
the Battle of Point Pleasant, had
gone out early to kill beeves and

58

prepare rations for the army.
He and the men who accompa-
nied him hearing the first shots
of battle, thought Dunmore had
arrived and that the guns were a
salute. Later they thought it a
practice exercise, but, determin-
ing1 to see for themselves, they
joined the army in time to help
materially in turning the tide of
victory.

Jacob Warwick is buried be-
side his wife at Clover Lick Cem-
etery in Barth County, Va.,
where he died Jan., 1826, in his
83rd year. He died at the home
of his daughter, Mrs. Major
Charles Cameron, on Jackson
River.

The Van Bibbers.

The brothers, John, Isaac and
Peter Van Bibber, and Jesse,
son of Peter, were participants
in the Battle of Point Pleasant.
Mrs. Miriam Donley, a Van Bib-
ber descendant, writing for the
July, 1903, West Virginia His-
torical Magazine, says "Isaac had
come from the Carolinas on a
visit to his brother in Bottetourt
County, when the call to arms
resounded through the land.
Although a Baptist minister, he
could and would not resist, as
hearts were that day attuned to
martial music, and he responded
to its call. He fell mortally
wounded besides Colonel Charles
Lewis. Peter fought with such
bravery he was promoted and
complimented on the battle field.

John Van Bibber was written of
by all historians as Captain and
family notes say he was made
Captain after the Battle of Point
Pleasant and Commissary of
Fort Randolph. The Van Bib-
bers continued to defend the bor-
der although Isaac, the son of
Isaac, fell at Point Pleasant,
while Jacob and Mathias Van
Bibber died twenty years later.
As late as 1843, Captain Jesse
Van Bibber was still residing on
Thirteen Mile Creek in Mason
County, now West Virginia.
He with his brother, John Van
Bibber \\ere among the earliest
settlers of that County."

Howe* the Historian, who in
writing the History of Virginia
in 1836, said "There is living
upon Thirteen Mile Creek, Mr.
Jesse Van Bibber, and aged
pioneer in this county. His life,
like his own mountain stream
therein, was rough and turbulent
at its commencement; but as it
nears its close, calm and peace-
ful, beautifully reflecting the
Christian virtues."

Leonard Cooper.

Captain Leonard Cooper, an-
other Revolutionary soldier who
is buried in Mason County, West
Virginia,, participated in the
Battle of Point Pleasant. Prior
to the Revolution, he held a com
mission in the Colonial army of
Maryland. Learning of Dun-
more's War, he hastened to
Staunton, Virginia, and entered

59

the Army of General Lewis. He
remained in the service until the
close of -the Revolutionary strug-
gle. In 1789 Major Cooper re-
moved with his family from
Maryland to Fort Randolph,
later erecting a Block House,
known as Cooper's Block House,
(where Mr. George W. Pullin
now resides) in Cooper District,
nine miles from the mouth of the
Kanawha, on the upper side. He
there removed with his family.

In 1804, when the new County
of Mason was organized, Major
Cooper was appointed a justice
of the peace in which capacity
he served until his death which
occurred in 1808. His remains
were buried near his home. His
son, Leonard, born in 1791, was
the first white child born at
Point Pleasant. Another of
Leonard Cooper's children, Mary
became the wifeof William Trot-
ter, son of Richard Trotter, kill-
ed in the Battle of Point Pleas-
ant and Anne (Trotter) Bailey,
who, going from Cooper's Block
House, by canoe to Gallipolis,
where in 1800, their marriage
ceremony was performed. This
is said to have been the first
Virginia marriage performed in.
the French Settlement.

William Arbuckle.

Captain William Arbuckle, of
Rockingham County, Virginia,
deserves to rank with Daniel
Boone and Simon Kenton in the
valor displayed in wresting from

savagery the vast domain in
which his expedition laid He
was not only with General An-
drew Lewis at the Battle of Point
Pleasant, where as a pilot (having
first visited the mouth of the
Kanawha in 1764) he safely con-
ducted that wing of the army,
but when Geo. Rodgers Clark
was organizing his expedition
against the French Forts in
Illinois from which the Indians
were known to receive supplies,
he (Capt. Arbuckle) tendered
his services which were accepted
and he acquitted himself with
credit in that ever memorable
campaign. He defended the fort
at Point Pleasant. He married
Catherine Madison, widow of
Capt. Robert McClannahan, who
fell in the Battle of Point Pleas-
ant. He remained in command
of Fort Randolph until 1795 when
Wayne made his treaty with the
Indians, when he bought land and
located on the Kanawha four
miles below the present town of
Buffalo, where he and his wife
passed a peaceful and honored
old age. Among their descend-
ants yet on the Kanawha are the
families of Arbuckle, Craig,
Alexander, Miller and others.
William Arbuckle had two child-
ren born within the fort at Point
Pleasant. He and his wife both
are buried in the church yard at
the Arbuckle Church in Mason
County West Virginia, Simple
stones are thus engraved:

60

"Wm Arbuckle, born March,
1752, Died March 21, 1836,

Aged 84 years."

"Kitty Arbuckle, Died July 18,
1818, Aged 64 years."

John Young.

John Young- became a settler
in the present Kanawha Count}',
and, in the military organization
of the County, was a lieutenant
of militia. He left a son, Jos.
Young, from whom descend
many residents of the valley.

John Henderson.

John Henderson, about 1740,
with his brothers James and
Samuel, came to Augusta County,
Virginia, from Scotland.

Descending from James, John
his second son, was born 1740,
and died March 24, 1787. In 1765
he married Ann Givens, sister to
the wife of Gen. Andrew Lewis,
and buying 300 acres of land, he
settled in Green brier. In 1786,
he was granted by Governor
Randolph 350 acres, now in
Greenbrier County, and 1400
acres on the South Side of the
Kanawha in what is now Clen-
. dennin and Arbuckle Districts,
Mason County, West Vriginia.

In Greenbrier County, he be-
came a Lieutenant of Militia and
ranked as such in Captain Her-
bert's Company at Point Pleas-
ant. Later he was Captain of
the Greenbrier Militia and later
was a Corporal in Capt. Gregory's
Company in Daniel Morgan's

Virginia Regiment, serving un-
til April, 1779. In 1780, be was
elected a Justice of the Peace, of
Greenbrier County, which office
he held in 1787, the time of his
death. He was survived by his
widow who died May 28, 1819,
and children, Samuel, John,
Margaret, James, Jean and
William. John and Samuel in-
herited the lands on Kanawha,
where they made permanent
homes. Samuel building his
cabin home at the mouth of Ka-
nawha and in 1810 burned the
brick and erected a commodious
brick house, the second one in
the count}', now occupied by his
'grandaughter, Mrs. Ella M.
Henderson Hutch inson and
family.

John Henderson second,
son of Capt. John Henderson,
was a man prominent in the
public affairs of Mason County,
and he occupied and inherited
that part of the tract of land ad-
joining his brother Samuel but
running further up the Kanawha.

Luman Gibbs-

Luman Gibbs was but 16 years
of age when, with the army of
General Andrew Lewis, he par-
ticipated at the Battle of Point
Pleasant. He was left as a part
of the Garrison at the Fort. He
became a noted scout and for
twenty years he served in that
capacity, wandering over the
hills of the present County of
Mason. His weekly route pro-

61

ceeded from Fort Randolph up
the Kanawha to the Mouth of
Eighteen Mile Creek, thence
across to Letart Falls, thence
down the Ohio to Point Pleasant,
and his "All's Well" for twenty
years dispelled the fears of the
early settlers in and about the
tort. The early settlers knew
the route as "Gibb's Track."
He married and located perma-
nently in Mason County, where
he has many descendants.

He had emigrated to Augusta
County Virginia in 1755
coming from New Hampshire
where he was born. He engaged
at once in the Colonial Army in
that year with Andrew Lewis in
the Braddock campaign and
again enlisted in his command
for the Point Pleasant Campaign.
He was as noted for his sunny
disposition as for his bravery.
He lived to a great old age and
died 1837 and is buried in the
Gibbs family burying ground
eight miles from Point Pleasant.
In the same grave yard are buri-
ed Revolutionary soldiers James
Ball and Isaac Robinson who too
participated in the Battle of
Point Pleasant and became resi-
dents of Mason County.

George Eastham.

George Eastham, of Far-
quier County, Va., who was in
one of the companies with Col.
Field at the Battle of Point
Pleasant, was born in 1758, and
hence was but a youth when en-

gaged in that battle. He partici-
pated in many struggles through-
out the Revolution. He married
(1) Susan Woodside, who bore
him nine children, among whom
was Col. Lawson Eastham; his
second wife, Mrs. Mary Brown,
widow of James Brown, bore
him three children, viz., Lucinda,
Albert G. and Saunders. In
1817, he moved to Arbuckle dis-
trict, Mason County, Virginia,
known as Five Mile Creek, and
in the following year died. His
son, Albert G. Eastham, born in
1805, father of a large family in
Mason County, died Feb. 23,
1890, at his home in Arbuckle
District being the last real son of
"The Revolution" in the county
of Mason. He left many descen-
dants in that County who do
honor to his name.

John Stuart.

Col. John Stuart was the son
of Col. David Stuart, County
Lieutenant of A.ugusta County,
when that county extended from
the Blue Ridge to the Mississippi,
1755.

John Stuart, son of Daniel and
Margaret Stuart, was born in
1749, in Augusta County and
emigrated to Greenbrier in 1769
and built a house of hewn logs
two and a half stories high,
which he used as a residence and
fort, known as Fort Union.

When his cousin Andrew
Lewis rested his army at Fort
Union and was ready to continue

62

the march to Point Pleasant, his
forqes were augmented by Col.
Stuart's and one company com-
manded by Capt. Robert McClan-
naham.

At Point Pleasant Captain
Stuart's Company was one of
the three sent up Crooked Creek
in the flank movement that suc-
cessfully put Cornstalk to rout.

Col. Stuart did not go on with
the further battles of the Revo-
lution, but continued the defense
of Fort Union and organized a
force and went to the successful
relief of Fort Donnally when that
fort was so vigorously attacked
by the Indians.

November 25, 1780, Col. John
Stuart became clerk of Green-
brier. At the close of the first
deed book he makes valuable his-
torical notes including an ac-
count of the Battle of Point
Pleasant.

Col. Stuart married Agatha,
the widow of John Frogg, killed
in the Battle of Point Pleasant,
she the daughter of Thomas
Lewis, hence already his kins-
woman. They had four chil-
dren, Margaret, who married
General Andrew Lewis, son of
Col. Charles Lewis; Jane
married Robert Crockett; Char-
les A., married Elizabeth Robin-
son, and Lewis, who married,
Sarah, the second daughter of
Col. Charles Lewis.

Col. Stuart became one of. the
best business men and largest

land owners of Greenbrier
County. In the splendid stone
mansion he had built, he lavishly
entertained. Here were wont
to meet the most intelligent, pol-
ished and distinguished men,
not only of Virginia, but of other
states and nations, and his
generosity was only bounded by
the demands of his neighbor-
hood,

1788, he was a member of the
Virginia Constitutional Conven
tion. In 1793, he was appointed
Lieutenant Colonel of the 79th
Regiment of Militia. In 1776,
he and bis wife each contributed
500 pounds sterling to build the
old stone church at Lewisburg,
yet beautifully preserved. He
was a member of seven literary
societies including the American
Philosophical Society. His li-
brary was extensive and valu-
able. He built in his own yard
the first clerk's office of the
county which is still standing.
He presented the county the lot
upon which the f.rst court
house at Lewisburg was built.
He died August 23, 1823, and is.
interred in the old family bury-
ing ground.

Thomas Pos*y.

Thomas Posey was born on
the Potomac River in Virginia
July 9, 1750. He early participa-
ted with the Virginia militia and
with the rank of Captain, was
Quartermaster to the Army of
General Lewis.

63

In 1775. he was appointed a
member of the Committee of
Safety and that year raised a
company which he commanded
and assisted Gen' Andrew Lewis
in driving Governor Dunmore
from Gwinn's Island, July 8,
1776. In 1777, he joined the
Continental Army at Middle
Brook, N. J. Here he became
one of the distinguished picket
men of Morgan's Riflemen, dis-
tinguishing himself at Piscato-
way, Bennington Heights and
Stillwater. In 1778, he was pro-
moted to the rank of Major, in
command of the Morgan Rifle-
men. In 1778, he commanded
the llth Virginia Regiment, At
the close of that year he entered
the artillery service and was in
charge of a battery under Wayne
in the attack upon Stony Point,
one of the most thrilling incidents
of the Revolution, being the first
field officer to enter the enemy's
works. He witnessed the sur-
render at Yorktown. He retir-
ed with the rank of Brigadier
General, settling at Spottsylvania
Court House, Virginia. 1793,
he removed to Kentucky, where
he was elected Lieutenant Gov-
ernor and, as such, President of
the Senate. Moving to Louisiana
in October, 1812, he was chosen
to fill a vacancy in the United
States Senate, President Har-
rison appointed him Governor of
Indiana Territory which honor
he declined. He was agent of

Indian affairs from 1813 to 1816.
He died at Shawnee Town, 111.,
March 19, 1818. His first wife
was the daughter of Colonel
Sampson Mathews, of Virginia;
his second wife, widow of Major
Geo. Thornton, and daughter of
John Alexander.

Posey County, Indiana, com-
memorates his name which name
adds lustre to the roll of the
army of General Lewis.
John Lewis*

Major John Lewis, a nephew
of General Andrew Lewis with
whom he was engaged at Point
Pleasant, died in 1823, at his
home at Sweet Springs. He was
the son of Wm. Lewis, brother of
Gen. Andrew Lewis. He was
noted for bis courage, integrity
and high sense of honor and con-
tinued in the service of the Col-
onies throughout the Revolution.
As a Lieutenant he was engaged
at Monmouth, Saratoga, Trenton
and spent the winter of 1777 at
Valley Forge. He rose to the
rank of Major, which rank he
held at Monmouth. In 1783 he
returned to his Virginia home,
but was much engaged on the
frontier until the close of
Wayne's Campaign. He was
five feet, ten inches high, com-
pactly built, muscular, strong
and courageous. A {"the time of
his death, he was an Elder in the
Presbyterian Church.

William Clendennin.
- William Clendennin was a pri-

64

vate in the Battle of Point Pleas-
ant. Later he was commission-
ed Major in the Kanawha Militia.
He represented Kanawha Coun-
ty in the Virginia Assembly in
1796-1801-1803. He was a Col-
lector of Levies 1792-1793-1794.
He was a justice of the peace
and member of the first Court in
the County, held at his house in
1789. In 1790, he settled in
what is now Mason County, W.
Va., In 1804, he carried the
petition to the Virginia Assem-
bly asking for the organization
of Mason County Virginia and in
1805, was the first representative
. of that county.

Major Clendennin had settled
about 1797 at Eight Mile, Mason
County. In 1802 he purchased a
part of the Hugh Mercer tract
and built the first log cabin in
Clendennin District, Mason
County, and many of his descen-
dants are living in Mason and ad-
joining counties in West Vir-
ginia and Ohio. By his son
Charles, whose son William mar-
ried Sophia Neale of Gallipolis,
their son, James B. Clendennin,
is survived by a daughter, Mrs.
George Wallis, of Apple Grove.
Sophia, daughter of William
Clendennin, married John Miller,
and her sister Ann, married
Henry Miller, both of Gallipulis.
Another sister, Elizabeth, mar-
ried John Bing of Gallia County,
Ohio, from whom decended a
large family. Their second child,

Martha Young Bing, born in
Gailia County, Ohio, Oct. 24,
1805. died Oct. 30, 1900, was the
ancestor of the Filson and Cable
families of Mason County, West
Virginia.

Archibald Clendennin.

Archibald Clendennin, brother
of William and George, married
Nancy E w i n g and lived on a
farm a mile from Lewisburg.
The family were attacked by In-
dians, and Archibald Clendennin
was killed. His wife was cap
tured by the Indians, but made
her escape.

Benjamin Logan
Benjamin Logan was born in
Agusta County, Virginia, in
1752. He emigrated, to Penn-
sylvania from Ireland, when a
child, and when but fourteen,
emigrated with his parents from
Pennsylvania to Virginia, where
his father died. By the law of
entail then prevailing in Virginia
he became the heir of his fathers
estate, but he divided it with
his mother, brothers and sisters.
He married tnd settled on the
Holsten river and was with Col.
Henry Boquet in his expedition
against the Indians. He was in
the battle of Point Pleasant. In
1775 he emigrated to Kentuckey
with Daniel Boone and establish-
ed Logans Fort, where he moved
with his family the following year.
He was one of the most daring
of Kentucky pioneers and his
defense and relief of his fort is

65

one of the most thrilling pages in
Kentucky history. His expedi-
tion against the Indians at Chil-
licothe in which the Indians were
put to rout and their supplies
captured, including 150 horses,
was admirably planned and exe-
cuted. In 1788 he led a regi-
ment of 600 men against the In-
dians of the North West. He
passed his declining years in
Shelby County, Kentucky, on bis
extensive farm, dying, Dec., 11,
1802. He was six feet three
tail, powerfully built with nerves
and courage like a lion. His son
Wm. was the first white child
born in Kentucky and became an
eminent lawyer, being twice ap-
pointed appellate Judge of Ken-
tucky and in 1820 was a United
States Senator from Kentucky.
John Logan.

John Logan brother of Benja-
min was engaged in the Battle
of Point Pleasant. He emigrat-
ed from Virginia to Kentucky
where he was a military leader
and several- times was a repre-
sentative.

George Clendennin.

George Clendennin who par-
ticipated in the Battle of Point
Pleasant, represented Green-
brier County in the Convention
at Richmond, 1788, that ratified
the Federal Constitution of Vir-
ginia. In that year, he purchas-
ed 1030 acres of land, the site of
the present city of Charleston,
and in that year built Fort Lee,

afterward called Fort Clenden-
nin. In 1794, the town of
Charleston was laid off, which
was not named, but finally called
Charlestown, in honor of Charles
Clendennin, father of George.

The first court was held in Kan-
awha County, Oct. 5, 1789, at the
residence of George Clendennin,
a County Lieutenant. He was
one of the first representatives
of Kanawha Cpunty, 1790-1791-
1792 1794-1795. Irf 1794 he was
made a trustee for the newly
laid off town of Point Pleasant.

His wife was Jemima, claimed
by some to be the sister of Thos.
Pawing, of Ohio, but which has
been found to be an error. He
died after 1795, when his name
last appears as signing a deed
and in 1797 his wife appeared in
court as his widow, when she
gave bond as administratrix.

Parthena, daughter of George
and Jemima, Clendennin married
John Meigs of Marietta, Ohio.
John Meigs dying, his widow
married Major Andrew Bryan,
their daughter Mary married
John McCulloch, from whom de-
scended Mrs. M. M. Moore, Mrs.
P. S, Lewis, Mrs. J. J. Bright,
John A. and Charles E. McCul-
loch, who were reared on a farm
below Kanawha in Arbuckle Dis-
rict, Mason Co., West Virginia.

Mary, the third daughter of
George Clendennin, married
Major John Cantrell whose only
daughter became the wife of the

66

late C. C. Miller, of Mason county,
who has left many descendants.

Alexander Breckenridge

Alexander Breckenridge nam-
^ed for his maternal grandfather
Alexander Breckeriridge was in
the Battle of Point Pleasant, and
later served as Colonel in the 7tb,
Virginia in the Revolution, re-
signing in 1778. He was for many
years Clerk of Augusta County.
He and Patrick Henry married
sisters.

Capt. John Lewis

Captain John Lewis eldest son
of Thos. Lewis was a nephew of
Gen'l Andrew Lewis. He was
born in 1749. He was wounded
at the battle of Point Pleasant.
He engaged in the struggles of
the Revolution, was at Valley
Forge and Jersey, and witness-
ed the surrender of Cornwallis.
Stephen Trigg.

Capt. Stephen Trigg, of the
Battle of Point Pleasant, was a
member of the Virginia Assem-
bly from Fincastle in 1774, when
Governor Dunmore dissolved
that body. He signed the Arti-
cles of Association of the Colo-
nies in 1775 and was active in
protecting the frontier during
the Revolution. In 1779 he emi-
grated to Kentucky and repre-
sented that county in the Vir-
ginia Assembly 1780, While
leading a charge at the Battle of
Blue Licks, 1782, he was killed.
William Herbert,

Captain William Herbert was

a Captain of Fincastle Militia,
who participated in the Battle of
Point Pleasant. He died 1776.

Walter Crockett.

Captain Walter Crockett was
born on the South Fork of the
Holston River. He was a coun-
ty magistrate. He continued in
the patriot army after the Battle
of Point Pleasant and distin-
guished himself at King's Moun-
tain, 3780.

John Floyd.

John Floyd, who was a school
teacher, made his home with Col.
Wm. Preston, of Fincastle Coun-
ty, was a native of Virginia, born
1750. In 1774, he was appointed
a deputy sheriff. In the spring
of 1774, he led a surveying party
to Kentucky and, returning,
joined Wm. Christian in the
Point Pleasant expedition, arriv-
ing too late to actively engage in
the battle, but was active in the
g-ood offices of his company in
ministering to the needs of the
army. He married Jane Buck-
hannon, niece of Col. Preston,
and in 1779 located in Kentucky,
where, in 1783, he was killed by
Indians. His son, John Floyd,
who was born in Jefferson Coun-
ty, Virginia, 1770, represented
Virginia in Congress 1817-1829,
— Governor of Virginia 1829-
1834. South Carolina cast
her electoral vote, for him for
president in 1832. His son,
John B. Floyd, grandson of the
John Floyd of Point Pleasant

67

campaig-n, was a member of the
Virginia Legislature 1847 and
was Governor of Virginia 1850-
1853 and was Secretary of War
under President James Buck-
hannan. He was indicted by
the government, charged with
the misuse of government sup-
plies and funds. He demanded
a trial and was exonerated. He
resigned his position and became
Gen. John Floyd of the Confed-
erate Army. He married Sallie
Buckhannan, granddaughter of
Wm. Campbell, of the Battle of
Point Pleasant, and a 'niece of
Patrick Henry. They had no
children.

Benjamin Lewis-

Quoting from the biography of
his decendant, State Historian
and Archivest Virgil Anson
Lewis, in "Men of West Vir-
ginia" (1903) page 31, "'His pa-
ternal ancestors were among the
first settlers of the Shenandoah
Valley, where they were found-
ers of the city of Staunton.
They were active frontiersmen
and participants in the Revolu-
tionary and Indian Wars. His
great grandfather, Benjamin
Lewis, was wounded in the Battle
of Point Pleasant and after the
wars were over in 1792 settled in
what is now Mason County, West
Virginia, and is buried in Wag-
goner District, near the spot
where he thus found a home."

The following from the War
Department Adjutant General's

Office, Washington, D. C., under
date March 28, 1908, is authori-
tative that after the Battle of
Point Pleasant, he continued to
serve in the patriot army: "It
is shown by the records that one
Benjamin Lewis who served as
a seargent in Capt. John Spots-
wood's Co. 10th Virginia Regi-
ment Commanded successively
by Col. Edmond Stevens and
Major Samuel Harnes and Col.
John Green, 'Revolutionary War.
He enlisted November 29, 1776,
to serve three years and was dis-
charged July 5, 1778.

Signed, F. C, Ainsworth'

The Adjutant General."

That Benjamin Lewis above
referred to was not a descendant
of John Lewis, the founder of
Staunton, we quote from a mem-
orandum of Mrs. Sarah Lewis
Rodgers, who was raised at the
old Lewis home on Muddy Creek,
in Greenbrier County, who mov-
ed in pioneer days to Illinois.
Writing- to her nephew, Rev.
Jacob H. Lewis, a Presbyterian
minister, of Greenbrier county,
the latter dying- at 92 years of
age, the manuscript is yet pre-
served and says :

"Our Lewis family in Green-
brier county originated from
three brothers, John George and
Benjamin Lewis, who came to
the county in an early day from
the Valley of Virginia. About
the close of the Revolution, Ben-
jamin went to the Ohio. George

68

Lewis never married. John
married Miss McCrary and their
sister, a Mrs. Van Orzel, is
buried iu the old Caraway grave-
yard."

None of the sons of John Lew-
is founder of Staunton Virginia
left descendants such as those
above described, but it has been
claimed that the above Benjamin
was the son -of Thomas, he the
son of John. Mrs. M. L. Price,
West Virginia historian of the
John Lewis family from whom
she descends, says Thomas
Lewis' son, Wm. Benjamin, was
born 1778 (four years after the
Battle of Point Pleasant, in which
the family traditions and papers
have always shown Benjamin
Lewis to have been) while L. L.
Lewis, of Richmond, recognized
as an authority on the John Lew-
is, Staunton, branch, says :
"Thomas Lewis had a son Ben-
jamin, but he lived and died in
Rockingham County, Virginia."

As early as 1812 we find in
Mason county that Benjamin
Lewis conveyed land which was
acquired before Mason County
was formed, as the land books
show no transfer to him in that
county prior to 1812 and he con-
tinued to buy and convey lands
as the records show, and that in
1831 there was much conveying
of titles of his lands by his chil-
dren which would indicate that
he died on or before that year.
Land convevances show the

given name of the wife of Benja-
min Lewis to have been Nancy,
and their children to have been
Sarah, who married Samuel Ed-
wards, Jvhn who married

Edwards, Benjamin, Jr., who
emigrated to Iowa, Catherine
who married Michael Newhouse,
George who married Margaret
Winkleblack, William who mar-
ried Lucinda Clendennin, An-
drew, Isaac and probably others.
Josiah Ramsey.

After being engaged in the
Battle of Point Pleasant, Josiah
Ramsey returned to Augusta
County. He served as a scout
in the Cherokee campaign of
1776. [n 1778, he removed to
Kentucky. In 1779, he moved to
Cumberland Settlement, where
he was appointed Major of Mili-
tia and was frequently engaged
against the Indians. He lived
to an advanced age spending the
close of his life with a son in
Missouri.

William Bowen.

William Bowen, often related a
hand to hand encounter with an
Indian antagonist at Point Pleas-
ant whom he finally overpowed.
He was a native of Maryland,
born 1744. In 1759 he engaged
in the border warfare with Wm.
Christian. In early life, he had
moved to Augusta County, Vir-
ginia. In 1784 he removed to
Summers County, Tennessee,
where he passed the remainder
of his life.

69

Joseph Drake.

Joseph Drake who was with
Wm. Christian's Regiment at
Point Pleasant, had served as a
private in Boquet's expedition
in 1764. He ' was one of the
Long Hunters 1770-71. In 1773
he married Margaret, daughter
of Col. John Buchhanan. In
1775, he visited Kentucky and in
June of that year led an explor-
ing party on Green River. He
resided at Abington, Virginia
until 1778, when he moved to
near Boones borough, Ky., and
in August of that year was killed
by the Indians. He was a typi-
cal frontiersman.

William Edmiston,

Lieutenant William Edmiston
(Edtnondston) a native of Mary-
land, born 1734, moved at an
early date to Augusta County,
Virginia. He was a private in
the French an Indian War and
the Cherokee Campaign 1760.
In 1763 he was appointed Lieu-
tenant of Militia for Augusta
County. He was in Capt. Wm.
Campbell's Company at Point
Pleasant and was his second in
command at King's Mountain,
in which eight members of
his family were eng-aged, three
of whom were killed. One of
those who survived of that fami-
ly was James Edmiston who has
descendants living- in many coun-
ties in West Virginia, including
the county of Mason.

William Ingles.

Major William Ingles, who, at
the Battle of Point Pleasant, was
in charge of a commissary with
the rank of Major, was a native
of Ireland, born 1729, emigrating
with his father when a child to
Pennsylvania, settling with John
Draper at Draper's Mead-
ows in 1748. In 1750 he
married Mary Draper, whose
capture by, and escape from,
the Indians, is one of the
thrilling pages of pioneer history.
During the Indian Wars, Wm.
Ingles was active in defense of
the frontiers. In 1756 he was a
Lieutenant in the Sandy Creek
expedition. In 1758-60, he de-
fended the fort at Ingle's Ferry.
In 1777 he was made Colonel of
Militia in the organization of
Montgomery County. In 1782,
he died at his home at Ingles
Ferry.

Thomas Ingles.

Thomas Ingles was with his
mother, Mary Ingles, who was
captured by the Indians, remain-
ing with them until 1768, practi-
cally becoming- a young- Indian in
his habits. Returning to his
home for a few years, he tried to
adopt the habits of civilization
and education, but he never for-
got his Indian friends. He was
in the battle of Point Pleasant,
remaining the following winter
in the Fort, during which time
he visited the Indians at Scioto.
In 1782, his wife was captured by

70

the Indians and his home burned.
He removed afterward to Ten-
nessee, thence to Mississippi,
where be died.

Henry Pauling.

Capt. Henry Pauling" who com-
manded a company of Bottetourt
troops at Point Pleasant, con
tinued in frontier service and in
1*777 went with Col, Bowman to
the relief of the Kentucky
frontier soon after which he set-
tled in that state and represented
Lincoln County, Ky,, in the con-
vention of that state that ratified
the Constitution of the United
States, but he voted against the
ratification of that instrument.
Francis Slaughter.

Col. Francis Slaughter who
was at the battle of Point Pleas-
ant was a member of one of the
best Virginia Families. He
married a daughter of Robert
Coleman of Dunmore and in 1785
moved to Kentucky, settling- in
Hardin County.

Lawrence And George Slaughter.

Lawrence and Georg-e Slaugh-
ter each married a daug'hter of
Col, John Field and both were
in his regiment at the Battle of
Point Pleasant. Col. George
Slaughter in 1776 raising a com-
pany, participated in the 8th Va.
Reg. at Brandy wine and German-
town. In 1779 he joined Shelby
in the Chickamauga Campaign
and in that winter started to re-
enforce George Rodgers Clark,
but was oblig-ed to winter at

Louisville, Ky., joining1 him the
following1 Jane, after which he
returned to Virginia and in 1784
represented his county in the
house of Delegates. Later he
moved to Jefferson county, Ken-
tucky, thence to Charleston, Ind.,
where he died June 17, 1819.

The McAfee Brothers.

McAfee station on Salt River,
in Mercer County, Kentucky,
commemorates the name of five
McAfee brothers, James, Robert,
George, William and Samuel,
who lived on Sinking Creek,
Bottetourt County, Virginia,
from which place they finally all
emigrated to Kentucky, in 1779.
The first three named with
James McConn, Jr., and Samuel
Adams, were Kentucky explor-
ers in 1773 with Col. Bullit and
Hancock Taylor. They all par-
ticipated in the Battle of Point
Pleasant.

William McAfee was in the
George Rodgers Clarke expedi-
tion and was killed in 1780.
George died in 1803 at his home
on Salt River. Samuel died in
1801, James in 1814, and Robert
who was one of the early dealers,
who, by flat boat, took large car-
goes of produce to New Orleans,
in 1795, when on such a mission,
was killed by a Spaniard in
that city, who was attempting to
rob him. They left descendants,
many of whom are yet residents
of Kentucky.

71

James Knox.

Major James Knox served un-
der Col. Chester in the capacity
of scout* in 1774. During- the
Revolution he commanded a com-
pany of Morgan's Riflemen en-
gaged at Saratoga and Still water,
returning with the rank of Ma-
jor. Settling in Kentucky, he
married Mrs. Logan, the widow
of Benjamin Logan, who was in
the Battle of Point Pleasant.
James Knox died in 1822. He
had accumulated a good fortune
and was respected by all who
knew him.

John Madison.

John Madison was of the dis-
tinguished Virginia family that
gave to America the president of
that name, being a first cousin of
President Madison. His son-
James Madison, was the first
American Episcopal Bishop.
Other of his sons who distin-
guished themselves were
Thomas, Rowland and George,
who emigrated to Kentucky.
John Madison was the first
Clerk of Augusta County and
represented that county in the
Virginia Assembly in 1751-52.
He married a Miss Strother, sis-
ter to the wives of Thomas Lew-
is and Gabriel Jones of Augusta
County.

Kimberling.

Elijah Kimberling of Bath
County, Va.. who was-engaged
in the Battle of Point Pleasant,
returned to Bath County, Va.,

where he resided until the time
of his death. So pleased, how-
ever, were his sons with his de-
striptionof the Kanawah Valley,
that his four sons, Joseph,
James, Jacob and Nathaniel emi-
grated to Mason County West
Virginia and located on farms in
Union District, near Arbuckle
Postoffice. They became the
progenitors of a large and influ-
ential family in the Kanawha
Valley. Among whom were
Elijah Kimberling, for many
years a public official of Mason
County, who married Margaret
Catherine Jones, a native of Cul-
pepper Couuty, Virginia, daugh-
ter of Joseph Jones, and Ann
Winn, his wife.

William Ewing.

William Ewing, a member of
Arbuckle's company at Point
Pleasant, settled on Swago Creek,
tributary to the Greenbrier,
near Buckeye, Va. He was one
of the garrison at Point Pleasant
and witnessed the murder of
Cornstalk.

William McKee.

William McKee, born in Ire-
land in 1732, and, emigrating
when a youth to the Valley of
Virginia, was in the Braddock
Campaign. At Point Pleasant
he was a lieutenant in Captain
Murray's company. He later
represented Rockbridge County
in the Virginia Legislature and
voted in favor of the adoption of
the Constitution. He emigrated

to Lincoln County, Kentucky,
where he died in 1816.
Charles Simms.

Charles Simms was in the divis-
ion commanded by Col. Lewis who
expired in his arms. In the con-
tinental army he was first major
of the 12th Virginia, later Lieut.
Col. of the 6th Va. and later of
the 2nd Virginia Regiment. On
Dec. 7, 1777, he resigned from
the army and practiced law at
Alexandria, Virginia, where he
continued to reside until the time
of his death.

George Moffatt.

Captain George Moffatt was
born in 1735. His father was
killed by indians in 1749, enroute
to South Carolina. In 1763,
George was Captain of a com-
pany of Rangers in pursuit of
Indians that had killed his step-
father, John Trimble, and cap-
tured his sister and half brother.
He rescued his loved ones. Col-
Wm. Christian was his uncle and
Samuel McDowell his brother-in-
law and in the battle at Point
Pleasant, with him were many
of his kindred. In the war of
the Revolution he was active and
commanded a regiment at Guil-
ford Court House. From 1781-
83 he was County Lieutenant of
Augusta. He died at his home
eight miles northwest of Staun-
ton in 1811.

John Murray.

Capt. John Murray, killed in
the battle of Point Pleasant, was

a brother in law of Col. Charles
Lewis, and a half-brother of
Charles Cameron, and Geo. Cam-
eron, the last named, was killed
in the battle.

William Trotter.

William Trotter who was en-
gaged in the Battle of Point
Pleasant, was an Englishman by
birth, coming to America and an
indentured servant. Coming at
the same time with Ann Hennis,
who, like him, was "sold out" to
defray the expense of their pas-
sage. They were bought in
Augusta County, Va., and when
his term of service had expired,
he enlisted with Col. Charles
Lewis, and was killed in the Bat-
tle of Point Pleasant. This so
incensed his widow that she don-
ned a semi-male attire and with
rifle and tomahawk she was seen
at musters like a man. Later
she married James Bailey.
James Bailey.

James Bailey, who was with
Col. Charles Lewis and who
afterward married Ann Hennis,
the widow of Richard Trotter, is
more noted for being the hus-
band of Ann Bailey, the heroine
of the Kanawha Valley than for
his own achivements. He was
assigned to garrison dnty at
Fort Clendennin where the pres-
ent city of Charleston is now
located. Ann Bailey was the
mother of one son, William Trot-
ter, who located in Harrison
Township, Gallia, Ohio, where
his descendants yet reside.

73

Waiter Newman.

Walter Newman, a native of
Pennsylvania, was in the Battle
of Point Pleasant and was one of
the first to locate here when the
new town was laid off. He pur-
chased the grounds upon which
the Mansion House in Tue Endie
Wei Park now stands and built
the first hewn log" house in the
county, which, for its beauty and
size, was called the Mansion
House. The house was built in
17%. In August, 1804, he was
licensed to establish a ferry
across both the rivers, Ohio and
Kanawha, and granted a license
to sell spirituous liquors and
keep an ordinary at bis house in
the town of Point Pleasant.
This was the first place in which
liquor was ever legally sold in
the county. Mr. Newman was
also the first man in the county
to support a missionary, sending
his nephew, Rev. James New-
man, as a missionary to South
America.

William Moore.

William Moore, of Rockbridge
County, after the Battle of Point
Pleasant, became' Capt. Wm.
Moore of the Revolution. He
was a merchant of Lexington,
Virginia, and purchased the first
bag of coffee ever purchased in
Virginia, which be found slow
sale for. Later, he built an iron
furnace at South River in Rock-
bridge Co. He was a Justice of
the Peace for manv vears and

served as high sheriff of Rock-
bridge for two terms. He died
in 1841, aged 93 years. His wife
was Miss Nancy McClung, by
whom he had children, Samuel,
David, John, Eliab, Joseph. Isa-
bella, Elizabeth and Nancy.
John Lyle.

John Lyle, of Capt. McDowell's
Company, became Rev. John
Lyle, of Hampshire County, now
West Virginia, a pioneer minis-
ter, who proved to be a power
for good in that region.

William Robertson.

William Robertson of Augusta
Countv, was commissioned a
Lieutenant July, 1775. He dis-
tinguished himself at Great
Bridge, Brandywine and Ger-
mantown. He died Nov. 12,
1831.

John Lewis.

Captain John Lewis, son of
Thomas Lewis, of Augusta Co.,
was with his uncle, Andrew
Lewis, at Point Pleasant, where
be was wounded. He was born
in 1749, died 1788, leaving four
children. He served under
Washington at Valley Forge and
in the Jerseys and witnessed the
surrender of Cornwallis.
John Frogg.

The Sutler of the Army, was
killed at Point Pleasant. Oct. 10
1774, 'by the Indians and was
there buried.

He came to Staunton from the
Rappahannock and married,
Miss Agatha Lewis, a daughter

74

of Thomas Lewis a brother of
General Andrew and Col.
Charles Lewis, and when the
Army started for the Ohio river,
Mr. Frogg was appointed the
Sutler and went with them.

He was a handsome young-
man, gallant, generous and fond
of display and spoken of as a
very worthy gentleman and pop-
ular with the men, and by one
writer, when giving a list of the
dead, spoke of him, as "poor
'John Frogg."

When be went into the battle,
he had on a brilliant red jacket,
which made him a prominent
mark for Indians and when he
fell, there were no less than five
Indians that had made an at
tempt to secure his scalp, and
all five of them were found dead
on the ground where poor John
lay. It is tradition that the little
daughter was awakened from
her sleep at three several times
by the dream of her father be-
ing killed by the Indians, which
she related to her mother several
days before it was known that
there had been a battle. Mr.
Frogg was related to the Strother
family, one of whom was the wife
of John Madison, Clerk of Augus-
ta Co., one was the wife of
Gabriel Jones, the Crown's At-
torney for said County and the
other was the wife of Thomas
Lewis, the Surveyor of said
County.

His widow became the wife of

Capt John Stuart of Greenbrier
who was also in said battle; and
his daughter married a Mr.
Estili.

It may not have been the duty
of Mr. Frogg to go into the bat-
tle at all, but it is certain he was
not required to attire himself in
a brilliant red jacket and make of
himself a mark forsbarpshooters
and loose his life, but, it required
five Indians to pay for his life.

Agatha Lewis, his wife, was
born May 18, 1753 and she
married Capt. John Stuart Nov.
18, 1776.

William McCorkle.

William McCorkle, who engag-
ed in the Battle of Point Pleasant,
was the son of Alexander Me
Corcle (McCorkle) who had his
American origin in Pennsylvania,
in the Scotch-Irish reservoir of
the Cumberland Valley, among
the other Scotch Irish, who, emi-
grating to the Valleys of the
Shenandoah and James, became
he very seat of culture and the
greatest factors in Virginia's
power, and gave that state her
prominence in the sisterhood of
states.

In the spring of 1774 Win Mc-
Corkle was making preparations
to emigrate with a great body of
Virginians to Kentucky and, on
June 3rd of that year, a survey
of 1,000 acres of land was set
aside for him near the present
city of Louisville.

Indian hostilities necessitating

75

the protection of the frontier,
and although not a young- man,
VVm. McCorkle enlisted as a vol-
unteer in Captain John Murry's
Company from Botetourt and en-
gaged in the Point Pleasant
Campaign. He returned to
Kockbridge Coutity to the lands
be held near Lexington, and
which had continued in the pos-
session of his descendants until
1894, when it passed into the
hands of strangers.

Soon after the Battle of Point
Pleasant, \Vrn. McCorkle died
but he had offered upon his
country's altar his son, John Mc-
Corkle, who, when but twenty-
three years of age, was killed at
tbe Battle of Cowpens, while
serving under Gen. Morgan.

John McCorkle married Re
becca Nutt, and was survived
by his two sons, Alexander and
Samuel, the younger Samuel be-
ing the progenitor of five sons,
the youngest of whom was Wil-
liam McCorkle, whose oldest son
is Ex-Governor William A. Mc-
Corkle, who served as Governor
of West Virginia, from March 4,
1893, to March 4, 1897, and is
now located at Charleston, West
Virginia, where, as a historical
memorial, he has erected the
most beautiful home in the state,
"SUNRISE", on the summit of
the mountain; embellished with
historic stones and furnished
and decorated vuth historic mem-
-entoes, demonstrating that -his

heredity has made him revere
the past as it has made him boun-
tifully prepare for the future.

Robert Campbell.
Robert Campbell, who was en-
gaged in the Battle of Point
Pleasant', was born in tbe Valley
of Virginia in 1755. He was en-
gaged tnroughout the Revolution.
He displayed great bravery in
his conflicts with the Cherokees.
He was in command of a Regi-
ment at King's Mountain, Oct.
7, 1780 For forty years he was
a magistrate of Washington
County, Virginia. In 1825, he
emigrated to Tennessee with
his children and there died.

John Carter.

John Carter became a pioneer
of Tennessee. During the Rev-
olution, he was elected with John
Sevier and Charles Robertson to
the Convention that assembled
at Hartford, N. C., in 1785, and
framed a Constitution for the
State of Franklin, which was re-
united with North Carolina in
1788.

Matthew Bracken,

Matthew Bracken had been a
surveyor with Thomas Hanson
from Virginia in the exploration
and surveying expedition to Ken-
tucky, which left Fincastle on
April7th, 1774. "Bracken Creek"
in Mason county, Kentucky,
commemorates his name. He
returned to Kentucky in time to
enlist as an ensign in the comp-
any of Capt. Robert McClena-

76

ban's Company of volunteers
from Botetourt. He was killed
in the Battle of Point Pleasant
and his remains were buried
within the forty foot reservation,
now a part of Tu-Endie Wei
Park, at the mouth of the
Kanawha.

Capt. Johji Lewis.

Capt John Lewis eldest son of
Gen'l Andrew Lewis married
Miss Patsy Love of Alexandria
Virginia who had four children.
His eldest son Andrew married
Jane McClenahan of Botetourt
County Virginia and they were
the parents of six children who
lived to maturity. Jonn, William
and Samuel locating in Kanawha
County near the mouth of Scary.

John Lewis known as Coal Riv-
er John was a man of great wealth
and prominence and from him
through his daughter Marjorie
who married 1st Edward Kenna
and 2nd Richard Ashbey has de-
scended through this first mar-
riage Hon. John E. Kenna who
represented the old third dis-
trict of West Virginia three
times in Congress and was twice
elected to the United States Sen-
at each time being the youngest
member in either branch of Con
gress. There are many descen-
dants of Captain John Lewis
living on the Kanawha including
Mr. Kenna's family the fami-
ly of Mr. Kenna's sister Mrs.
Gentry, the family of Hon. Jos.

Gaines, M. C., Mr. Walter Ash-
by and many others.

Thomas Hacket

Thomas Hacket (Haket) of
Rich Creek Virginia was a mem-
ber of Capt. Michael Woods
Company at Point Pleasant, soon
after which he settled at Peters-
burg Virginia where he continu-
ed to reside until after Waynes
Treaty. Lured by the beauty
and fertility of the Ohio Valley
be settled at Kyger Ohio in Gal-
lia Count}' where he died and is
buried having lived to the ad-
vanced age of 104 vears.

Among other children he left
a daughter Mary Ann Hacket
who married Nimrod Kirk whose
daughterElizabeth (Betsey) Kirk
married George Knight. From
George Knight descended the
distinguished Dr. A. L. Knight
of Mason County, prominent
farmer James Knight of Pleasant
Flats, the late Samuel Knight of
Marietta, Ohio, Mr. George
Knight of Clifton, and Mrs.
Louise Meeks of Dallas, Mrs.
Rebecca Brown of Hartford,
and Mrs. Susan Hogg of Point
Pleasant and their descendants.
Capt. James Curry.

Capt. Jas. Curry served under
Gen'l Andrew Lewis and was
severely wounded in the right
arm at the battle of Point Pleas-
ant. His home at that time was
near Staunton Virginia. When
at the age of 22 years he enlisted
as a private.

77

Michael See.

While at work outside the
fort at Point Pleasant in a
field near where James Capehart
now resides, in August 1791
Michael See and Robert St. Clair
were killed by Indians. Thomas
Northrop and a coiored boy be-
longing to See were captured
and carried away prisoners.

Michael See who had been en-
gaged in the battle of Point
Pleasant was living with bis fam-
ily within the fort where the
night of his death his wife
gave birth to a son, Wm. See.
from whom descend the Se.es of
Mason County West Virginia.

We are indebted to Rev. Price,
of'Marlinton and Rev. C. W.
McDonnald, ofHuttonsville,
Randolph Co., descendants of
Michael See who send the follow-
in^ Cleaned from the history of

O O

Randolph county: "Michael See,
of German ancestry, and using
the language in his family is be-
lieved to have been born in
Pennsylvania. He came from
that state to South Branch, what
is now Hardy County, W. Va ,
about 1765. His father's name
was Frederick Michael See, of
him but little is known except he
had a son Adam, but Adam never
lived in Randolph county
Michael See, son of Frederick
See was among the early settlers
of Tygarts valley, Randolph Co.,
and his children intermarried
with the following prominent

families more than a century
since.

Anthony See married Julia
Leonard; Adam See married
Margaret Warwick, daughter of
Jacob Warwick, the pioneer of
whose name appears in the
Pocahontas sketches; Polly See,
of Michael married George See. .
Her daughter Georgiana became
Mrs. Capt. J. W. Marshall, a
noted confederate officer and
promoter of public improvement.
Barbara See married William
McCleary; John See married
Miss Stewart, and Noah married
Margaret Long

Col. James Curry.

March, 1900, Mr. W. S.
Curry of Columbus, Ohio,
Registrar of the Sons of the Rev-
olution, sent us an account of his
grandfather Col James Curry,
above referred to. It follows:

"James Curry was closely en-
gaged throughout the greater
part of the day fighting from be-
hind first one tree and then an-
other but later in the day was
shot through the right elbow.
It is said he asked the surgeon
who dressed his wound 'If it
would hurt him to take a drink
of wine?' to which the surgeon re-
plied 'No if you take it with the
Surgeon.' He remained in the
garrison until recovered from
his wounds.

He served in the army through-
out the Revolution as Captain in
the Fourth Va, Inft., participa-

78

ting- in the battle of Brandy wine,
Yorktown. He was wounded at
the siege of Charleston, S. C. and
taken prisoner May 12, 1871 by
Gen. Lincoln's Army.

After the Revolution he settled
at Staunton, served a term as
Clerk of the Court for Augusta
Co. In 1797 he moved to High-
land County Ohio where he en-
tered a Virginia Military tract
of land. "

Solomon Brumfield

Solomon Brumfield who enlis-
ted under Gen'l. Andrew Lewis
at Staunton resided where the
city of Washington is now built.
Wm. Hamilton.

Wm. Hamilton was an orderly
at Point Pleasant in the army of
Gen'l. Lewis and when the battle
began was sent as a messenger
to hasten the regiments m
command of Capt. Wm. Chris-
tion whom he met at the
mouth of 13 mile creek, the pres-
ent site of the village of Leon.
Here a few were left in charge
of supplies while the remainder
of the companies marched on to
Point Pleasant arriving at about
11 o'clock.

Bazaleel Wells

Bazaleel Wells, afterward Gen'l
Wells of the Revolution, became
the founder of Steubenville,
Ohio, and helped to form the
first Constitution of Ohio. He
was then a member of the Ohio
Senate and1 was probably the
wealthiest man in Eastern Ohio

at the begining ot the century.
It was he who financed the build-
ing of the Zanesville road the
great highway of Ohio that prov
ed to be the great artery of com-
merce of that successful, pro-
gressive new state.

John Murry, Earl of Dunmore.

(LORD DUN MORE.)

In reviewing, (by many histor-
ians,) the life and character of
Lord Dunmore, there are none
who have more truly recorded
his character than Hu Maxwell,
in bis history of Hampshire
County, who says on page 51:

"Before proceeding to a narra-
tive of the events of the Dunmore
War. it is not out of place to in
quire concerning Governor Dun-
more, and whether from his past
acts and general character he
would likely conspire with the
British and the Indians to de-
stroy the western settlements in
Virginia. Whether the British
were capable of an act so savage
and unjust as inciting savages to
harrass the western frontier of
their own colonies is not a mat-
ter for controversy. It is a fact
that they did do it during the
Revolutionary War."

As to a confirmation of the
character of Dunmore and his
methods we quote again from
the same author, relating to
events subsequent to the Battle
of Point Pleasant:

"Dunmore had trouble else-
where. His domineering- con-

79

duct and bis support of some of
Great B r i t i a n ' s oppressive
measures, caused him to be
bated by the Virginians, and led
to armed resistance. Thereup-
on be threatened to make Vir-
g nia a solitude using these word;
l'I do enjoin the true and loyal
subjects to repair to my assist-
ance, or I shall consider the
whole country in Rebellion and
myself at liberty to annoy it by
every possible means, and I
shall not hesitate to reduce
houses to ashes, and spreading
devastation wherever I can reach.
With a small body of troops and
arms, I could raise such a force
from among Indians, negroes and
other persons as would soon re-
duce refractory people of them.1'
The patriots finally rose in arms
and drove Dunmore from the
country. Some of these events
occurred after the Dunmore War,
but they serve to show what
kind of a man the Governor was."
He was born in England in
May, 1709, descending from the
house of Stuart. He succeeded
to the peerage in 1756; appointed
Governor of New York 1770; of
Virginia, July, 1771. With a
band of Tory followers, he plun-
dered the inhabitants, residing
on the James and York Rivers.
He and his followers suffered
defeat at the battle of Great
Bridge, shortly after which he
burned Norfolk, then the most
prosperous city in Virginia. In

1779, he returned to England,
and, in 1786, was appointed Gov-
ernor of the Bermudas.

Logan.

Tah-gah-jute, son of Shikellan-
ny, chief of the Cayuga Indians,
was born in about 1725. He was
named Logan by the whites for
James Logan, (the Secretary of
Wm. Penn,) who had been such
a friend of the Indians, that they
accepted the name as a badge of
honor.

Logan was reared near the
Moravian settlements and his
relation to the whites had been
most friendly. Throughout Vir-
ginia and Pennsylvania he was
known for his commanding pres-
ence and engaging qualities.
Residing with his family near
Readsville, Penn., he supported
them by hunting, and trap-
ping and dressing hides which
he disposed of to the whites. At
this time, the Mingo tribe of In-
dians chose him as their chief.
About 1770. he moved to the
banks of the Ohio, where, in the
spring of 1774, his family were
massacred, whereupon he sent a
declaration of war to Michael
Cressap, whom he believed had
ordered the massacre. Thus
began the fearful depredations
that burst upon the frontier and
Logan is said to have taken thirty
scalps himself before the termi-
nation of hostilities at Point
Pleasant, where he was engaged
that fearful October day. Sub-

80

sequent to the battle when the
other. Indian chiefs sued for
peace, Logan disdained to partic-
ipate in the treaty. Governor
Dunmo^ sent John Gibson to
personally invite him to the coun-
cil and he then gave out that
classic in English literature that
has made so famous the name of
Logan. It is as follows:

"I appeal to any white man to
say if he ever entered Logan's
cabin hungry, and he gave him
not meat; if he ever came cold
and naked and he clothed him
not. During the course of the
last long and bloody war, Logan
remained idle in his cabin, an ad-
vocate of peace. Such was my
love for the whites that my
Countrymen pointed as they
passed and said: 'Logan is the
friend of the white men.' I bad
even thought to have lived with
you but for the injuries of one
man. Cresap, the last spring, in
cold blood and unprovoked, mur
dered all of the relations of
Logan, not even sparing my
woman and children. There
runs not a drop of my blood in
the veins of any living creature.
This called for my revenge. I
have sought it; I have fully glut-
ted my vengeance. For my
country, I rejoice at the beams
of peace. But do not harbor
the thought that mine is the joy
of fear; Logan never felt fear.
He will not turn on his heel to
save his life. Who is there to

mourn for Logan? Not one."

The speech was written down,
when Gibson repeated it to an
officer, and published in the'Vir-
ginia Gazette. Thomas Jeffer
son, a great admirer of Logan,
took pains to establish its
authenticity and published it in
his Notes on^Virginia.

Logan was killed by his neph-
ew at Lake Erie in the summer
of 1780.

Cornstalk.

Cornstalk, the celebrated
Shawnee warrior, is first men-
tioned in Colonial History in 1763,
when about sixty Indians, led by
Cornstalk attacked the settle-
ment on Muddy Creek, in Green-
brier Gounty, Virginia, when
they pretended to be on a friend-
ly mission, at which time they
arose and murdered all except
a few women and children, whom
they took prisoners. From
there the Indians went on to the
Levels in the same county, to
the home of Alexander Clenden-
nin, where many were gathered
enjoying the fruits of a success-
ful chase and the Indians, too
were treated with the utmost
hospitality, but they a^ain mur-
dered most of the inmates of
that place. Mrs. Clendennin
was carried away a prisoner and
with others taken to Muddy
Creek.

For a year the Indian dep-
redations were continued, un-
til there was not a white set-

81

tiers left in Greenbrier County
which was not again inhabited
by whites until 1769, when Col.
John Stuart and a few others be-
came permanent settlers.

It is said that Cornstalk was
born in the Kanawha Valley
about 1727.

In the Battle of Point Pleasant,
he commanded the army consist-
ing of the flower of the Sbawnee,
Delaware, Wyandotte, Mingo and
Cayuga braves, he being the
King of the federation, in their
herculian efforts to stay the on-
coming tide of Saxon civilization.
These Indians were, fighting to
maintain their homes and their
hunting grounds, and, if the
whites were eyer to be repelled,
it must be now.

This was not the first time
in battle array that the Shaw-
nees had shown their skill
as warriors. In the Braddock
defeat and other campaigns
they had proven themselves val-
iant. They despised treaties
and had chafed under that with
Boquet so that at the Battle of
Point Pleasant, they had deter-
mined to be victorious. It was
not that they favored Great
Briton. All whites were alike to
them except as they availed to
help them save their hunting
grounds; and here were gathered
their ablest leaders: Cornstalk,
Red Eagle, Scoppathus, Blue
Jacket, Logan, Chief of the Ca
yngas, Illinipsico, Red Hawk,

the noted Deleware Chief and
others commanding the most
formidable army every arrayed
as an Indian phalanx. The
story of their bravery has al-
ready been related in the ac-
counts of the Battle of Point
Pleasant, here in published.

It were well for the white set-
tlers, if the history of Cornstalk
could have ended with the Battle
at Point Pleasant. The treaty
with the whites following the
battle, was maintained in the
highest sense of honor by Corn-
stalk.

In the spring of 1777, when
the great Indian uprising was
again taking place, Cornstalk
came to Fort Randolph at Point
Pleasant to warn the whites of
their danger and was retained
as a hostage, during the whole of
the summer. In November, his
son, Illinipsico, came in search of
his father, hallooing to be
brought across the river. The
next day two hunters crossed
the Kanawha and, returning,
one was killed by Indians.
Some of the whites made a rush
for the Indians detained at the
fort. Captain Arbuckle in com-
mand tried to stay them, but
incited by one of the Gilmores
whose kindred had been massa-
cred at Muddy Creek, Corn-
stalk and his son, Illinipsico and
Red Hawk were murdered in
cold blood, by Captain James
Hall and Hugh Galbraith leading

82

the men. The bravery of Corn-
stalk called forth the admiration
of even his brutal murderers, as
be^hus addressed Illinipsico.

"My Son, the Great Spirit has
seen fit that vfe should die to-
g-ether, and has sent you here to
that end. It is His will and let
us submit; it is all for the best!"
and then turning- his face to bis
murderers at the door, he fell
without a groan pierced with
seven bullets."

Cornstalk said the day before
he was killed while attending a
conference with the whites.
"When I was a young man and
went to war, I often thought each
might be my last adventure, and
I should return no more. I still
lived. Now I am in the midst of
you and if you choose you may
kill me. I can die but once. It
is alike to me whether now or
hereafter."

From the records of Rock-
bride County we quote the fol-
lowing.

"At a court held in Rockbridge
County, April 18, 1778, for the
examination of Capt. James Hall
and Hugh Gailbraith, charged
with the murder of Cornstalk, no
witnesses appearing, they were
acquitted for the murder of
Cornstalk and two other Indians
in November, 1777, they denying
their guilt."

The remains of Cornstalk
were intered at Point Pleasant
outside the fort, where Viand

intersects with First Street, but
in August 4, 1840, when Viand
Street was opened, his remains
were removed to the Court
House yard. Dr. Samuel G.
Shaw made a memorandum at
the time of his burial. His
grave is thirty yards in the rear
of the Court House where the
grave is neglected.

On October 13, 1899, a monu-
ment to Cornstalk with the sim-
ple inscription

"CORNSTALK"
was erected in the Court House
yard near Sixth Street. The
monument is of grey limestone
the stone for which was donated
by Mr. S. H. Reynolds, then
Superintendent of- Construction
at Kanawba Lock 11. The
money for the completion of the
monument was raised by private
subscription and the dedication
of the monument was the occa-
sion for a public ceremonial with
a dedicatory address by Hon. C.
E. Hogg, Mayor John E. Beller
receiving the monument for the
town.

Forts Blair, Randolph and Point
Pleasant.

Govenor Dunmore under date
of June 12, 1774, directed Gen'l.
Andrew Lewis "to collect a body
of men immediately; go down to
the mouth of the Great Kanaway
and THERE BUILD A FORT;
and then if you have force
enough to invade the Indian Coun-
try, do so."

83

Before these orders could be
carried out the battle of Point
Pleasant had ensued. The
wounded of the army must be
cared for, and sufficient of the
army must remain to protect
and care for them while the ma-
jority marched on with Gen'l.
Lewis to Camp Charlotte.

So frail was the hastily impro-
vised stockade that it was in-
adequate to withstand an attack
but fortunately Capt. Wm. Rus-
sell and fifty Fincastle men were
delegated by General Lewis to
return to Point Pleasant and
erect a fort. They arrived
there November 11, 1774.
Thus Captain Russell be
came the designer and builder
of this small rectangular pallis-
ade, eighty yards long with block
houses at two corners with cab-
ins for barracks, which he call
ed Fort Blair. It was erected
upon grounds on the North Bank
of the Kanawha as it emptied in-
to the Ohio. Here in January,
1775, Cornstalk complying with
the terms of the treaty at Camp
Charlotte delivered a number of
white prisoners.

On June 5, 1775, Governor
Dunmore reported that the gar-
rison at Point Pleasant had
been ordered discontinued,
but the Virginia convention
ordered that one hundred
men should be hastened to Point
Pleasant. Upon their arrival
they found Fort Blair in ashes.

By whom or when distroyed his-
tory does not record. On May,
16, 1776, Captain Matthew Ar
buckle passed through Wheel-
ing enroute to Point Pleasant
where upon the ruins of Fort
Blair he erected Fort Ran-
dolph. This fort was much
larger than Fort Blair, called
Fort Randolph in honor of Hon.
Peyton Randolph of Virginia.
It was from thence garrisoned
at expense of the colony of Vir-
ginia Captain Arbuckle con-
tinuing in command until the
close of 1777. He was succeed-
ed in command by Capt. Wm.
McKee of Rockbridge County.
In 1778 several were killed by
Indians while outside the fort
at work, including Lieut. Moore.
In 1779, for a week Indians be-
sieged the fort but to no avail
except that they captured all the
cattle. In 1779 prior to July 12,
Ft. Randolph was evacuated after
which it was burned by Indians.
Capt. Andrew Lewis visiting at
Point Pleasant in 1784 reported.
There was then but little or no
sign of the fort to be seen. In
1785 a third fort was built at
Point Pleasant, on the Ohio Riv-
er above the present First street.
Commanded by Colonel Thomas
Lewis and from that year on the
white man has never ceased to
reside at Point Pleasant.

Participants of the Battle.

1 official roster having been preserved either by the Government

or State, the following list has been gleaned from the sources

availabe after years oi research by the writer

Albe, Jeremiah

Adams, John

Adkins, Parker

Adkins, Wilton

Atkins, Wm.

Agnew, (Aggnue), John

Alexander, James Ser.

Allen, James

Allen, Thomas

Alley, Thomas

Alden, Andrew

Allen, Hugh Lieut.

Allen, James

Alliet (Elliot) Robert

Alsbury, Thomas

Arbuckle, Capt. Matthew .

Anderson, James

Anderson, Samuel

Andrews, Samuel

Arbuckle, John

Ard, James.

Arnold, James

Arnold, Steven

Armstrong, Geo.

Armstrong Thos.

Armstrong, Wm,

Arthur, John

Astle, Samuel

Atkins, Blackburn

Atkins, Charles

Atkins, Henry

Babbit, Ishmael
Baker, Martin
Barker, Samuel
Baker, Thomas
Baker, Markham
Baker, Ensign Samuel
Baily, John
Bailey, Campbell
Ball, James
Baret, Edward
Barton, Samuel
Basel John
Barkly, John
Bambridge, James

Barnes,

Barnett, James
Barnett, S. L.

Bates,

Ha ugh, Jacob

Boylstone, Wm.

Bazel, John

Bellew, Daniel (Canoe man)

Bell, Thomas

Bergman, Christian

Berry, Francis

Bishop, Levi

Blackburn, Arthur

Blackford, Joseph

Blair, Daniel

Blair Wm.

Blankenship, Richard

85

Bledsoe, Abraham Lieut.

Blesly, Jacob

Blesly, John

Bojard, Abraham

Boh, Adam

Boh, Jacob

Boles, John

Boniface, Wm.

Borg, Francis

Bough man, John

Boughman, Jacobs

Buruey, Thomas

Bowen, Moses

Bowen, Reese

Bowen, Wm.

Bowles, Sergt

Bowles, Kobt.
Bowyer, Henry
Boyd, James
Boyd, Kobert
Boylstone

Boyer, Henry

Boyles, Barney

Bracken, Matthews Ensign &

Lieut

Bradley, John
Bradley, Wm.
Brambradge, Jas.
Bramstead, Andrew
Breckinridge, Alexander
Breden, John
Breeze, Richard
Bree/.e, Robt.
Bradley, John
Brooks Geo.
Brooks, Thos.
Brown, Chas.
Brown, James
Brown, Low
Brown, Robt.
Brown. Wm.
Brown, Thos.
Brumfield Humphrey
Brumfield, Solomon
Brumley, Thos. ,
BryansSborgan
Bryans, Wm. Sergt.
Bryant, Wm.

Buchanan (Commissariat)
Buchanan Col. John

Buchanan, Ensign Wm.
Buford, Col. Abraham
Bunch, Joseph
Buchnell, John
Burch, Richard
Burcks, Samuel
Burk, Thos.
Burk, John
Burnes, Thos.
Burnsides, James
Burrens, Jarnes
Burroughs John
Burton, Litton
Burtchfield, James
Buch, Sergt. John
Buch, Wm.
Buster, David
Butler, Joseph
Butl&r, Shabrick
Byrd, Richard
Byrne, Chas

Galloway. Dudley
Cameron, Geo.
Cameron, Hugh
Campbell, Arthur Maj.
Campbell, John Capt.
Campbell, Robt.
Campbell Joseph
Campbell, Samuel
Campbell, Wm. Capt.
Canady, Thos.
Caperton, Adam
Caperton, Hugh
Carlton, James
Carmack, John
Carney, Martin
Carpenter, John
Carpenter, Jeremiah
Carpenter Solomon
Carpenter, Thomas
Carr, Geo.
Carr, John
Carr, Wm.
Cartain, James
Cariain, Joel
Cartain. John-
Carter, John
Carther, Edward
Gary, Jeremiah

86

Casey, Wm.

Cashady, Simon

Cashaday, Thos.

Catron, Adam

Catron, Francis

Catron, Jacob

Calron, Michael

Catron, Peter

Catron, Philip

Cats, Roger

Cattes, John

Cavenaugh, Charles

Cavenaugh, Philemon

Cavenaugh, Philip

Cavenaugh Wm.

Cecil, Saul

Champ, Wm.

Chaplme, Abraham

Chapman, John

Chapman. Richard

Chesney, John

Charlton James

Christian, Col Wm.

Clark, John

Clark, James

Clark, Samuel

Clay, Mitchell

Clay, Zekel

Clay, David

CJendinen Adam

Clendinen, Alexander

Clendinen Chas.

Clendinen Geo.

Clendinen, Robert

Clendinen, Wm.

Clerk, John

Clifton, Wm.

Clinding, Wm.

Clinding, Geo.

Cloyne Nicholas

Cochran, Wm.

Cocke, Capt. Wm.

Coile, James

Coller, John

Coller, Moses Sergt.

Collet, Thos.

Collins, Richard

Condon, David (canoe man)

Conner, Patrick

Conner, Wm.

Constantine Patrick
Cook, David
Cook, Henry
Cook, John
Cook, Wm.
Cooper, Abraham
Cooper, Fiancis
Cooper Leonard
Cooper Nathiel
Cooper, Spencer
Cooper, Thomas
Copley, Thos.
Cornwell, Adam
Corder, John
Cormick, John
Cornwell, Adam
Cornwell, John
Courtney, Chas.
Courtney, John
Cowan, Jared
Cowan, John

Coward

Cox, Lieut, Gabriel
Cox, Capt. John
Coyl, James
Crabtree, Wm. (scout)
Craig-, George
Craig, John
Craig Wm. Serg-
Grain, John
Craven, Joseph Serg.
Cravens, James
Cravens, John
Cravens, Robt.
Crockett, Capt. Walter
Crawford, Bonard
Crawford, John Serg.
Crawley; (Croley) James
Creed, Matthew
Crisman, Isaac
Crockett, Joseph
Croley, Samuel
Crow, John Serg.
Crow, Wm.
Curwell, Alexander
Cummins, Geo.
Cundiff, Johnatban Ensign
Cunningham James
Cunningham John
Current. Joseph

87

Curry, James, Capt.
Custer, Wm.
Cutlep, David
Outright, John
Culwell Alexander

Dale, James

Davis. Capt. Azariah

Davis, Charles

Davis, Geo.

Davis, Robert (scout)

Davis, Samuel

Davise, Johnathen

Day, Joseph

Day, Wm.

Deal, Wm.

Deck, John

Demonse, Abraham

Denistun, John

Denton, John

Dickinson, Col. John

Dillon, Lieut.

Dingos. Peter
Divev, John
Doack, Robt. Capt.
Doack, David
Doack, Samuel
Doack, Wm. Ensign
Dobler, Jacob
Dodd, John
Dodd, James
Dorherty, John
Dorhertv James
Dollarhide Samuel
Donaley, Serg. Jame's
Donaley, John (fifer)
Donalson, Col. John
Donalson, Robt.
Donalson, Thos.
Donley, Jacob
Dooley, Thos. Lieut.
Doran, Patrick
Doss, Joel

Daugherty, Geo. Serg.
Daugherty, James
Daugherty John
Daugherty, Michael, Serg.
Douglas Geo.
Douglas, James
Downy, James Serg.

Downy, John
Drake, Joseph
Drake, Ephriam
Draper Lieut. John
Dulin, James
Duncan, John Serg.
Dunkirk, John Serg.
Dunlap, Robert
Dunn, John
Dunowho, James
Duttsn, Philip
Dyer, Wm.

Eager, John

Eastbam, Wm.

Eastham, Geo.

Edgar, Thos.

Edmiston (Edmondson) Wm.

Lieut.

Edward, James
Edwards, Johnathan
Egnis, Edward
Elkins, Jesse
Ellenborough, Peter
Elias, Thomas
Elliott Capt. Robert
Ellison, James
Ellison, Charles
Elswick. John
English, Joseph
English, Joshua
English, Stephen
Estill, Samuel
Evans, Evan
Evans, Andrew
Ewing, Alexander
Ewing, - — Jr.
Ewing, Robert
Ewing Samuel
Ewing, Wm. Serg. & Maj.

Fain, John
Fain, Samuel
Fargison, Thos.
Farley (Farlen) Francis

Farley, John

Farley (Farlor) Thomas
Farmer. Nathan
Feavil, Wm.
Ferrill, Robt.

88

Ferrill, Wm.

Field, Col. John

Fields, Wm.

Fielder, John Serg.

Fielder, Wm.

Fenquay, Isham(canoe man)

Findlay, Geo.

Find lay, John

Fendlay, Robt. Serg.

Fisher, Isaac

Fitzhugb, John

Fitspatrick, Timothy

Fleming, Col Wm.

Flintham, John

Fliping, Thos.

Floyd, John

Fourgeson,Thos.

Fowler, Jas. (scout)

Fowler, Samuel

Fowler, Wm.

Franklin, James

Franklin, Wm.

Frazer, John

Freeland, John

Friel, Jeremiah

Frogg, Lieut. John

Fry, Geo.

Fry, Geo. Jr.

Fry, John

Fullen, Chas.

Fullen, James

Fullen, Daniel

Fuls, Geo.

Gardner, Andrew
Garrett, Wm.
Gass, David (Messenger)
Gatliff (Gatkpp) Squire
Gibbs, Luman
Gibson, Joseph
Gilberts, Thos.
Gillihan (Gilliland) John
Gilkenson, Jas.
Gill, Prisley
Gillespy, Thos.
Gillass, Wm.
Gillman Duncan
Gilmore, John
Gilmore,Capt. Jas.
Givens, Lieut.

Glascum, David

Glass, Serg. Samuel

Glass Wm.

Glaves, Michael

Glenn, Davis

Goff, Andrew

Goldman, Lieut. Edward

Goldsby

Goodall, John
Gordan, Moses
Gorman, David
Graham, Benj.
Green, John
Griffin, Robt.
Grigger, Michael
Grigger, Peter
Grigs, John
Grimp, John

Grigsby

Guffy, James
Guillen, Edward James
Gullion, Barney
Gurden, Michael

Hackett, Thos.
Hackworth, Augustine
Hackworth Wm
Haines, Lewis
Hale, Edward
Hale, Thomas
Hale, Wm
Hall, James
Hall, Thos.
Hamilton, Francis
Hamilton Isaiah
Hamilton, Jacob
Hamilton, Jas.
Hamilton, John
Hamilton Thos.
Hammond, Philip
Hamrick, Thos.
Hamrick, Wm.
Handley (Herrill) Robt.
Handley (Hensley) Sam'l
Hanee, Philip
Hansburger, Adam
Hanson Wm.
Harlan Elijah
Harlan, Silas
Harmon, Dangerfield

89

Harmon, Geo.
Harmon, Israel
Harmon, John
Harrel, Wm. (scout)
Harriman, Skid Serg.
Harris Griffin
Harris, John
Harris, Stephen
Harrison, Andrew-
Harrison, Benj.Capt.
Harrison, John Lieut.
Harrod, James Capt.
Hart, Thos.
Hasket, Thos.
Hatfield Andrew
Havens, John
Havens James
Hayes, John
Hay nes, Benj.
Haynes, Capt. Joseph
Hays, Chas.
Henly, Geo.
Henly, Wm.

Hensley (Hadley) Sam'l
Herbert Wm. Capt.
Herd Richard
Herrill, Robt.
Henderson Sam1 1
Hendrix, Peter
Henderson, Lieut. John
Henderson Daniel
Henderson, Alexander
Hays, Samuel (scout) •

Head, Anthony (Messenger)
Hedden, Thos.
Hedrick, Peter

Hepenstahl (Hempinstall) Abra-
ham

Hckman

Higgans (Higans) Peter
Higgans, Philemion

Hill, Capt.

Hill James

Hill, Robert

Hobbs, Vincent

Hogan, Henry

Hogan, Win.

Holley, Wm.

Hollway (Holloway) Richard

Holston, Stephen

Hoi well, Walter

Homes, Lewis

Hooper, Wm.

Hopton, Stephen

Hopton, Wm.

Home, Joseph

Howard, Charles

Howard, Henry

Hutchinson, Lewis

Huchisen (Hutchinson) Wm.

Huff. Leonard

Huff, Peter

Huff. Samuel

Huff, Thomas

Hughes, Davy

Hughes, Kl\is

Hughey, Joseph

Humphries, John

Hundley, John

Hunter, Robert

Hutson, John

Hynes. Frances

Ingles, Wm. Major(Commissary)

Inglis, Joshua

Inglis, Thos.

Inglish (English) Joseph

Irvine, John

Inglish (English) Joshua

Isum, Wm.

Jackson, Yerty
Jameson, John
Jenkins, Jeremiah
Jennings, Edmond
Jewitt, Matthew
Johns, Wm.
Johnson Capt. Arthur
Johnston, John
Johnston, Patrick
Jones, Benj.
Jones, John
Jones, Thos.
Jones, Wm.

Kasheday, Peter
Keeneson, Charles
Keith, Samuel
Kelley, Alexander
Kelsey, John
Kendrick, James

90

Kennedy, Ezekiel
Kennedy, Thomas
Kennedy, Win. Serg.
Kenneson, Cbas.
Kenneson, Edward
Kennot, Zacariah
Kerr, James
Kerr. Wm
Kinder, George
Kinder, Jacob.
Kinder, Peter
King1, James
King-, John
King, Wm.

Kincaid (Kingkeid) David
Kincaid " Jr.

Kincaid Geo.

Kincaid James

Kincaid '* John Serg.
Kinsor, Cbas.
Kinsor Michael
Kinsor, Jacob
Kinsor, Walter
Kishoner, Andrew Jr.
Kishoner, Andrew Sr.
Kissinger, An3re>v
Kissinger, Matthew
Knox, James

Lammey, Andrew

Lapsley, John %

Larken, John Serg-.

Lashly, John

Laughlin. James

Lawrence. Henry

Lee, Sefinah

Learned (Lord) Lieut.

Lee, Zacarias

Lemaster, Richard

Lesley Wm.

Lesley, John

Lesley, Wm. Adj.

Lester, Samuel

Lester, John

Lewis, Andrew Gen.

Lewis. Benjamin

Lewis, Chas. Col.

Lewis, John Capt. of Augusta

Lewis. John Capt. of Botetourt

Lewis, John Private

Lewis, Samuel

Lin, Adam

Librougb, Henry

Litton, Burton

Litton, Solomon

Litz, Wm.

Lockhart, Jacob

Lockhart, Queavy

Lockridge, Andrew Capt.

Logan, Ben).

Logan, John

Logan, Hugh

Logan, James

Long, Joseph Ensign

Lord (Leord) Lieut

Love, Joseph

Love, Philip Capt.*

Luallen, Thos.

Lucas, Chas.

Lucas, Chas. Jr.

Lucas, Henry.

Lucas, John

Lucas, Wm.

Luney. Michael

Ly brook (Librough) Henry

Ly brook Palser

Lyman, Richard

Lyle, John

Lyn, James

Lynch,

Lyons, Wm.

McAllister, Wm.
McBride, James
McBride, Joseph
McCallister, James
McCallister Wm.
McCandless, John
McCartney, John
McCastem, Wm.
McCarty, James
McClanahan, Absalom
McClanahan, Alexander, Capt.
McClanaham, John, (Canoeman)
McClanahan, Robt. Capt.
McAfee, Geo.
McAfee, James
McAfee, Robt.
McAfee, Samuel
McAfee, Wm.

91

McCJintic, Wm.
McClure, John
McClure, Tfiomas
McCorkle, Wm.
McCoy, Wrn. Lieut
McCune, Wm.
McCutchen, Wm.
McDonald, Daniel
McDonald, James
McDowell. Archibald
McDowell, M. Capt.
McDowell, Samuel Capt.
McElhanev, Francis
McFarland, Wm.
Me Far land, Robt.
McGee, John
McGeehey, Samuel
McGinness, John
McGlahlen, John
McGuff, John
McGuff, Patrick
McKee, Wm. Capt.
McKinnett. Alex
McKinney, John
McKinsey, Hensley
McKinsey, Moredock
McLaughlin, Edward
McMullin, John
McMullcn, Wm.
McNiel, Pfter
McNeal (Niel) John
McNiell, Daniel Lieut
McNutt, James
McNutt, Alexander
Madison, John

Monad ue, Henry
Mann, John
Mann, Wm.
Marks, John
Martin, Brice
Martin, Christian
Martin, Geo. Sr.
Martin, Geo. Jr.
Martin, Philip
Martin, Wm Col.
Matthew Capt. Geo.
Matthew, Sampson
Maxwell, Bezaleel
Maxwell, David

Maxwell, John

Maxwell, Thomas

Mayse, Joseph

Mead, Nicholas

Mead, Thos.

Meader, Israel

Mecrary, Thomas

Meek, Wm.

Messersnuth, Barnctt

Messersnuth, John

Micalister, Wm

Milican, John

Miller, James

Miller, Robert

Mills, John

Mil wood, Geo.

Miner, Henry

Mitchell, James Capt.

Mitchell, James

Mitchell, Thos.

Moffat (Manford) Robt. Capt.

MofFat, George Capt.

Montgomery, Jas. Capt.

Montgomery, Samuel

Moodr, John

Moon, Abraham

Moor, Moses

Moor, Frederick

Moor, Wm.

Moor, John

Moor, Hugh

Mooney, Nicholas

Mooney, Frederick

Mooney, Hendly Ensign

Mooney, Hugh

Mooney, James

Mooney, John

M^oney, Moses

Mooney, Samuel

Mooney, Wm.

Morris, Wm.

Morrow, James

Morrow, James Jr.

Mullin, Thos.

Mungle (Mongle) Daniel

Mungle " Frederick

Murry, John Capt.

Murry, James

Myers, Wm.

Mercer, Hugh

Nail, Dennis
Nail, Thomas
Nalle, Martin Lieut
Nail, Thomas
Naul (Novvl) Wm. Capt.
Nave, Conrad
Neal Wm.
Neaville, John
Neaville, Joseph
Neely James (Cadet)
Neely, Wm.
Neil, John
Nelson, John
Newberry, Joseph
Newell, James
Newland, Abraham
Newland, Isaac
Newland, John
Newman, Walter
Nicholas, John
Nickels, Isaac
No well, John
Noland, John
Null, Jacob
Null, John

Odear, James
Oguillen, Barnett
Oguillen, Duncan
Oguillen, John
Oguillen, Hugh
O'Haara, Chas. Capt.
O'Haara, Robt.
O'Haara, Wm.
Qharron, Henry
Olverson, Joseph
Ormsbey, Daniel
Overstreet, Wm.
Ower, Thomas
Owen, Robt.
Owens, David
Owler, Henry
Ovvler, John

Pack, George
Pack, Samuel
Packwood, Richard
Pain, Joseph
Parchment. Peter
Parsons, James

Pate Jeremiah

Patten, John

Pauling, Henry Capt.

Paulley, James

Paulley, John

Pawlings, Moses

Paxton, Samuel

Peary, Thomas

Pence, Jacob Ensign

Perce, Thomas

Peregin, Molastin

Persinger, Jacob

Pettv, Benjamin

Peyton, John

Peyton, Rowzie

Pharis, Wm.

Pierce, Lieut

Pierce, John

Plunkenpel, Zacarias

Poage, Wm. Serg.

Poling, Mathew.

Portor, Robl.

Posey, Thos. (Commissary)

Potter, Thos.

Preston, Wm.

Price, Jarnes

Price, Reese

Price, Rickard

Price, Thomas

Price, Wm.

Pricket (Pucket) Drury

Priest, David

Priest, Samuel

Priest, Wm.

Pright, John

Prince, Wm.

Prior (Pryor) John

Ranis, Robert
Ramsey, Josiah
Rains, Robt.
Rapp, Frederick
Katcliff, Wm.
Ratcliff, Matthew
Razor, Michael
Ray, Wm.
Ravenscroft, Thos.
Read, John Ensign
Reagh, Archibald
Reagh, John

93

Reary, James
Keburn, John
Rediford. Benj.
Reed, Alexander
Reese, Andrew
Reid, Andrew
Reid, Thos.
Reynolds, John
Richardson, Benj.
Richardson, Wra.
Riley, John
Roay, Joseph
Roberts, John
Robinson, Elijah
Robertson, Jas. Capt.
Robertson, Wm. Lieut
Robinson, Hugh
Robinson, John
Robertson, Jauies
Robertson, Thos. Major
Robertson, Wm.
Robison, Jas. Lieut.
Robison, Julius
Robison, Wm.
Robison, Isaac
Roay, Joseph
Roe, - —Capt.
Rogers (Rodgers) Andrew
Roger, Chesley

Rogers, David

Rogers, James

Rogers, " Thos.
Rogers, Wm.

Rollens, Richard
Ross, Edward
Ross. Tavener
Rowan, Francis
Rucker, Geo.
Ruddle, (Ri'ddle) Geo.
Rue, Abraham
Russell, Wm. Gen.
Rutheford, Benj.

Samples, Samuel
Sanders, James
Sappington, Daniel
Salsbury, Wm.
Savage, John
Savage, Samuel
Sawyers, John Col.

Sayres, John
Scails, Wm.
Scard, — — Lieut.
Scarbara, James
Scott, Archelaus
Scott, Archibald
Scott, Daniel Capt.
Scott Geo.
Scott, James
Scott, Wm.
See, Michael
Sedbery, John
Seed, Francis
Selby, James
Sevier, John Gen.
Sevier, Valentine
Shain, John .
Shannon, John
Shannon, Samuel
Sharp, Abraham
Sharp, John (.Scout)
Sharp, Edward
Shaw, Henry
Shelby, Evan Capt.
Shelby, Isaac Lieut.
Shelby, James
Shelby, Wm. Capt.
Shell, Arnold
Shelp, John
Shillin, John
Shoatt, Emanuel
Simpkins, Daniel
Simpkins, James
Simms, Chas. "
Simmerman, Geo.
Simpson, James
Simpson, John
Simpson, Wm.
Skaggs, Reuben
Skaggs, Zach
Skidmore, John Capt.

Slaughter, Capt.

Slaughter, Francis Col.
Slaughter, Geo. Col.
Slaughter, Lawrence
Smith, Bruten
Smith, David
Smith, Daniel Capt.
Smith, Edward
Smith, Ericus

94

Smith, James
Smith, John
Smith, Mecagh
Smith, Moses
Smith. Robt.
Smith, Wm.
Smithers, Gabriel
Sobe, Geo.
Spicer, Wm.
Spratt, Isaac Serg.
Squires, Uriah
Staffy, Michael
Stailey, Martin
Steele, Andrew
Steele, John
Stephens, John Lieut
Stephens, Thomas
Stephens, Wm.
Stephens, Stephen
Stephenson. Hugh Capt.
Stephenson, Robt.
Sterns, Conrad

Stevens,

Steward, John
Steward, Walter
Stewart, John
Stewart, Wm.
Stewart, John Capt.
Stull, Martin
Stump, Michael
Sullivan, James
Sullivan, Sam'l
Summers, Charles
Swoop, John

Tate, T. Lieut.

Tate, Wm.

Tarney (Farney) Peter

Taylor, Capt.

Taylor, Daniel

Taylor, Isaac

Taylor, Sieltor

Taylor, Wm.

Teasy, Wm.

Terrence (Torrence) Andrw

Thomas, Edward

Thompson, Andrew Ensign

Thompson, Richard

Thompson, Robert

Thompson, Wm.

Tipton, John
Todd, James
Todd, John
Trent,

(Canoe Master.)

Trent, Obediah
Trimble, Isaac
Trimble, James
Trotter, John
Trotter, Richard
Tucker, Wm.
Tyler, Isaac

Vails, John
Vallendingham, Geo.
VanBibber, Isaac
VanBibber, Jesse
VanBibber, John
VanBibber. Peter
VanBibber, Mathias
Vance, Edward
Vance, Samuel Lieut.
Vanhook. Samuel
Vaut (Vaught) Andrew
Vaut Christian

Vaut Geo.

Venable, Wm.
Vaughan (Vaun) John
Vanhook, Samuel

Wag-g-oner, Andrew
Waggoner, Henry
Waggoner, Henry Jr.
Walker, Adam
Walker, Henry
Walker, James
Wallace, Adam Ensign
Wallace, Andrew
Wallace, David
Wallace Robt.
Wallace, Samuel Lieut.
Walter, Michael
Wambler, Geo.
Wambler, Mitchell
Ward, David Ensign
Ward, James Capt.
Ward, Wm. Serg.
Warwick, Jacob
Washburn, James
Washburn, Steven
Watkins, Robt.

95

Weaver, Christian
Weaver, Michael
Welch, James
Welch, John
Welch, Thomas
Welch, Thomas Jr.
Wells, Bazaleel
Wells, Samuel
Welsh, Christopher
Whish, Richard
Wet/el, John
Wetzel, Martin
Whitley, Moses
White, Davfd
White, Joseph
White. Solomon
White, Wm.
Whitticor, Joseph
Whitton, Jerremiah
Whitton, Thomas
Whitton, Thomas Jr.
Wiley James
Wiles, Robert
Wiley, Robert Jr.
Wiley, Thomas
Williams, Alden
Williams, David
Williams, Isaac
Williams, James
Williams, Jarrett
Williams, John
Williams, Mack
Williams, Philip
Williams, Richard
Williams, Rowland
Williams Samuel
Williams, Thomas Serg1.
Williamson, Aldin
Williamson, David
Willis, Henry,
Wilmoth, Wm.
Wilson, Beni.
Wilson, Edwaad
Wilson, James
Wilson, John Capt.
Wilson, Georg-e
Wilson, Thomas
Wilson, Wm. Serg-.

Wilson, Samuel Capt.
Wood, John
Wood, Adam
Wood, Andrew
Wood, Archibald
Wood, James Serg.
Wood, Jos. Capt.
Wood, Michael Capt.
Wood, Richard
Woolsey, Richard
Workman, Daniel
Wood burn, Steven
Woodburn, James

Young-, John

History of the Monument Building

In our research for informa-
tion relative to efforts being-
made to erect a battle monument
at Point Pleasant, the earliest
record of which we have an ac-
count is a letter yet preserved,
written by Hon. J. M. H. Beale,
who, in 18-18, represented that
district of which Mason County,
Virginia, was a part, in the lower
branch of Congress, in which he
says "I have introduced a bill
in Congress asking for $50,000
with which to erect a monument
to commemorate the Battle ot
Point Pleasant." As nothing
came of it, it died in a commitee
room.

That amount of money in pur-
chasing power, equal in value to
twice that amount of money at
the present time, only demon-
strated the magnitude in which
the battle was held when not so
many years had intervened since
that terrible struggle.

We find by reference to an old
minute book preserved by Mrs'

96

John Daniel McCulloch, that a
monument committee had been
organized in the year 1860. The
exact date of organization is not
given. The first meeting record-
ed is as follows:

"Monument Association Rooms
Sep. 17, 1860.

The Regent being absent,
Mrs. James Hutchinson, Vice
Regent, called the association to
order.

On motion the minutes of the
last meeting was suspended."

"The committee on By Laws
reported series of laws by Mrs.
Wm. Smith, Chair lady, & under
discussion said By laws were
adopted, & on motion the com-
mittee was discharged."

"On mot on a permanent com-
mitee composed of Mrs. Charles
Lewis, Mrs. Barlow, Miss Sallie
Henderson, Miss Kimberling,
Miss Till Stribling, Miss Sue
Waggoner to collect historical
facts connected with the battle
of Point Pleasant.

"On motion of Mrs. Smith, it
is resolved this association will
celebrate the anniversary of the
battle, 10th of October.

"On motion it is resolved com-
mittee be appointed to see what
will be contributed for a supper.

"On motion a committee com-
posed of Sallie Lewis, Fannie,
for the Flats, Miss Patrick, Sehon
for Mason City, Miss Stribling
& Hall, upper part of town, Miss
Jones & Miss Murdock lower

end, Sallie Henderson and E.
Smith, South Side Kanawha,
Ginnie Neale& Maria Menager,
Mercer Bottom.

"On motion it is resolved a
committee of two be appointed
to wait on Col. Beale, & see if.
we can procure the Hall.
Signed, E. Smith

Recording Secretary
M. T. Lewis Regent

Nov. 14-1860"

There is left no written record
of that supper given at Beal's
Hall, but there are many living
here yet who recall it as one of
the greatest social events of the
town up until that time, as there
was gathered here all of the elite
of the county. The money
raised at that time by the supper
was about $200.00, 'which was
supplemeated by $800,00 more
in subscriptions, Mrs. John S.
Lewis (Mrs. Mary T. Lewis)
the Regent riding horseback
over the county soliciting funds,

The society applied fora char-
ter which was granted under
the laws of the State of Virginia.
The money war. loaned to Mr.
Peter Steenbergen Lewis, a
descendant of Col. Charles Lewis
killed in the battle, and was
faithfully accounted for and in-
terest paid until turned over to
the Point Pleasant Battle Monu-
ment commission provided for
in 1901, by the State of West
Virginia.

The only two surviving char-

97

ter members of the original
monument association are Miss
Elizabeth Smith, of McCaus-land,
and Mrs. J. D. McCulloch (Miss
Sallie Lewis) of Point P4easant.

We find in the above mentioned
record book the following- entry:

"Monument Association Room.
Nov. 14, 1860.

The Regent, having called the
meeting to order on motion of
E. Smith, the historical com-
mittee is requested to wait upon,
or otherwise communicate with
all the early settlers of the coun-
ty, that is practicable, to obtain
all the information they can in
regard to the battle of the Point,
and all other interesting events
of the early Indian times.

On motion it is resolved, the
monument be placed on the spot
where the brave men who fell in
the battle have so long lain un-
honored, by vote was unanimous-
ly carried — affirmative Nannie
Smith, Kate Murdock, Sallie
Lewis, Sallie Henderson, M. J.
Stribling, Ginnie Neale, Rose
Barlow, Fannie Lewis, Eliza
Waggoner, E. Smith — Negative.

"On motion it is resolved a fine
of five cents be imposed on those
who are not present by half after
two o'clock, P. M.

"On motion it is resolved that
this meeting adjourn to meet
the first Wednesday in January."

it is well that the names of
these patriotic women have been
preserved to history, many of

whom were descendants of par-
ticipants in the battle. Sallie
Lewis (Mrs. J. D. McCulloch)
descended from Col. C h a r 1 e s
Lewis; Sallie Henderson, the late
Mrs. Jos. George, of Five Mile,
descended from Samuel Hender-
son; Misses Sue and Eliza Wag-
goner descended from Gen. An-
drew Lewis; Mrs. Charles Lewis
was the mother of Mr. P. S.
Lewis, a descendant to whom
the first funds were entrusted;
Mrs. Kimberling was the wife
of Elijah Kimberling, for many
years clerk of the county court;
Fannie Lewis, wife of Judge
John W. English, descended
from Col. Charles Lewis, as did
Miss Lizzie Sehon, of Mason City;
Miss Hall was the late Mrs. B. J.
Redmond, daughter of Hon.
John Hall; Miss Jones is Mrs.
J. W. Bryan; Maria Menger be-
came the wife of Rev. George
Lyle; Miss Till Stribling became
the wife of Mr. Chap. Waggoner
of Pleasant Flats: Mrs. Rose
Barlow was the wife of a resi-
dent physican; Miss Kate
(Beale) Murdock was the second
wife of the late Col. C. B. Wag-
goner, Ginnie Neale now Mrs.
Otis Stribling.

The Civil War breaking out,
the efforts to erect a monument
were put aside for the stirring
incidents then agitating the
minds of the people and no efforts
were again made until the 100th
anniversary of the Battle, 1874,

98

when the proper celebration of
the battle was taken up by
Messrs. John Q. Dickerson,
John D. Lewis, C. C. Lewis, Wm.
Dickenson, of Charleston, P. S.
Lewis, J. P. R. B. Smith, Judge
John W. English, of Point Pleas-
ant. These largely financed the
celebration assisted by other of
the most patriotic citizens of
Point Pleasant and an effort was
made to gather together as many
as possible of the descendents
of the Lewis's of that battle.
In "fact so little attention was
paid by other descendants and
so highly had the Lewis's honor-
ed the services of their sires
that the proposed monument
was spoken, of as the "Lewis
Monument" and, for years, the
writter, who was present at that
celebration, scarcely knew there
were other heroes participating
worthy of being- published in the
school histories, there being no
available books to be read and no
one mentioned by word of mouth
but the Lewis's.

All honor, however, to this
family who honor their- heroic
dead. It was the most splendid
palm they could place upon the
brow of their ancestors to teach
the world as they have done their
descendants to revere the names
of Andrew and Charles Lewis.

The first published agitation
for the proper observance of the
100th anniversary of the Battle of
Point Pleasant, we find in the

Charleston Courier, reproduced
in the Weekly Register of March
19, 1874, which we quote in part:
"It was at this place that oc-
curred one of the bloodiest and
severest battles in which the
whites and Indians have ever en-
gaged. On the morning of the
10th of October, 177N4, an army
composed almost entirely of Vir-
ginians, under the command of
General Andrew Lewis, and
numbering about eleven hundred
men, was attacked by a largely
superior force of savages under
the command of the famous
chieftain Cornstalk. The battle
raged furiously the entire day,
and ended in the defeat of the
Indians, who throughout the bat-
tle, are said to have displayed
the most determined bravery.
The Virginia army sustained in
this engagement a loss of seven-
ty-five killed and one hundred
and forty wounded."

"Among the slain were Colonels
Charles Lewis and John Field
and eight subordinate officers,
all of whom were of the best
families of Virginia."

"The loss of the savages was
never ascertained, as it was their
custom to bear off and secrete
their dead. Some twenty or
more bodies, however, were
found on the field, which the In-
dians had been unable to carry
away."

"The wounded whites were

99

placed within entrenchments,
thrown up at the point of the
.confluence of the Kanawha and
Ohio rivers, and a garrison left
there to protect them, the dead
were buried immediately outside
of the entrenchments, though
in a scattered manner. General
Lewis then pursued his march
northward."

''Finding- our selves at Point
Pleasant with considerable lei-
sure and time, we proposed to an
old friend and resident of the
"Point" to take us to the graves
of the heroes of the battle of
Point Pleasant. With a willing-
ness to oblige which is a promi-
nent characteristic of that gen-
tleman, he readily assented, and
in a few moments we found our-
selves close to the junction of the
two rivers, standing on tip-toe
looking over a high bank on
which we were standing com-
pleting the bounds. A few in-
dentations or depression were
all that indicated that within that
small enclosure were buried
some fifty or sixty heroes of the
times that tried men's souls.
The place was strewn with filth
and refuse and seemed to be a
general depository for the rub-
bish of the neighborhood. With
a feeling of disgust at the cold
neglect so plainly manifested by
the authorities, not only of the
governments of the States of
Virginia and West Virginia, but
of the county and city wherein

rest these dead, we turned
away."

The writer who signs himself
"Virginiout," relating an inter-
view with Mr. Andrew Darst,
residing upon the extreme point
where the rivers meet, who not
only exhibited a grind stone,
cannon ball, and shovel, taken
from an old well that had been
within the fort, but he 'exhibited
the site of the old magazine long
since gone over the bank, and the
site of the cottage wherein Corn-
stalk was murdered.

Quoting further from article
of date above given, Mr. Darst
said in that published interview:
"About 1832 thar came by
here an old man who had been
here in Injin times. Some folks
were wondering whar Cornstalk
had been buried. The old man
said he knowed, and if thej'd
follow him he'd show 'em. So
he took 'em out to a ditch just
back of that drug store you see
there, (2nd and Viand Streets)
told them to dig in at a certain
place and they'd find Cornstalk
about four feet under ground.
They dug in there and sure
enough they found him. They
then took him up and buried him
in the Court House yard."

"The spot of land here on the
point was once a big Injin grave
yard, and if you will take the
trouble to look over the bank
where it has been washed you'll
find bones a plenty. All of 'em's

100

across beads and trinkets among
the bones."

Acting1 on the suggestion we
took a look over the bank and
discovered many fragments of
bones which were lying loosely
on the soil or projecting from
the face of the bank. After
sauntering around a few mo-
ments longer we bade "Andy"
farewell and walked off to take
a look at the town."

"The heroes of Bunker Hill
have their monument to com-
memorate their deeds, but the
brave little band sleeping1 so si-
lently on the bank of the Kana--
wha, have nothing but an old de-
cayed, worm eaten fence to mark
their graves. Point Pleasant
and Bunker Hill, were each
fought in the same cause, and
those acquainted with the history
of "Dunmore's war' will not
contradict the assertion that the
battle of "Point Pleasant," was
really the first battle of the Rev-
olution."

The Weekly Register of May
17, 1874, editorially comments
on the importance of the battle
of Point Pleasant and quotes
again from the Charleston Cou-
rier/as follows:

"Is there any event connected
with our past history which so
closely affects the people of the
Valley as the battle of Point
Pleasant, where Virginians
bared their breast to protect it
from invasions? While Eastern

Virginia had her Yorktown,
West Augusta had already pur-
chased a victory at Point Pleas-
ant. To no event transpiring
within the limits of our State has
ever attached the importance and
grateful recollections as has to
the Point Pleasant battle. It is.
well suggested then that the
people all along our Valley take
some steps to celebrate the one
hundredth anniversary of this
event at Point Pleasant in Octo-
ber next. Our neighbors in
Mason will readily adopt the
suggestion, as well as all other
counties that feel an interest in
preserving afresh both the mem-
ory of the gallant dead and their
resting places."

"For many reasons the Mason
county people should take the
lead in this matter, and we feel
confident they will. Let every
community then from the Ohio
to the Greenbrier, fall into line
and adopt some harmonious ac-
tion to fitly celebrate the day,
and to raise suitable funds to re-
move the disgrace of the neglect-
ed graves. There is not a super-
abundance of time, and we pre-
dict a prompt response from
Mason. Who will take the ini-
tiatory for a grand celebration
of this event, which if of all
others the one great shrine
which every creed, every politi-
cal faith and every class in the
State can pay their homage."

"A correspondent from Mason

101

County to the Charleston Courier
contributed the following:

"There is considerable talk
just as this time about our cen-
tennial anniversary, and a good
deal of patriotic feeling is being
exhibited in that direction. His-
tory records that on the morning
of the 10th of October, 1774,
there was fought at this Point
one of the severest and most hot-
ly contested and bloody battles
between the whites under Gen-
eral Lewis and the Indians un-
der command of the great war-
rior, Cornstalk, that ever took
place in the early times of this
country. It is in fact, claimed
that this was the first battle of
the Revolution, and for freedom
from the British yoke. On the
10th of October, 1874, one hun-
dred years will have elapsed
since that memorable battle, in
which the troops under Gen.
Lewis achieved such a triumph."

On Tuesday, May 26th, the
Directors of the Second Annual
Mason County Fair decided to
hold their Fair on October 6th,
7th, 8th, and 9th, but no mention
is ma'de of the observance of the
10th, the anniversary of the Bat-
tle. Plans, however, were going
forward from Charleston, as the
Charleston Courier, in its last is-
sue of May 18, 1774, gives the
following:

"The idea of the Centennial
celebration at Point Pleasant is

a very happy one. It is an event
in which every true West Vir-
ginian should take pride. Our
state embraces a large boundary
of territory of "West Augusta,"
whose sons rendered themselves
so famous in the days that "tried
men's souls," and to whom the
great Washington looked, for
raliance when all others should
fail him,".

"Many descendants of the par-
ticipants in the famous Indian
battle at the Point, are now liv-
ing in this State. In the coun-
ties of the Greenbrier Valley as
well as in the Kanawha Valley
are living those who bear the
name and through whose veins
run the blood of the Captain of
the Virginia forces, Andrew
Lewis, as well as those who de-
scended from the brave men
that followed him in that remark-
able campaign. The result of
the battle at the Point saved all
the Virginia frontier from the
invasion of the Indians. If Corn-
stalk had been successful who
can imagine the fearful desola-
tion that would have been
wrought from the Ohio to the
Alleghanies."

"Is it "not a little remarkable
that while this battle should have
become so famous in history, that
so little should be known of the
particulars of the fight? While
history is silent, we have tradi-
tions that should be gathered,
and the most authentic ones be

102

placed in some shape as to be re-
liablv transmitted to posterity.
There are many households of
West Virginia, where stories of
grand father's experience in the
battle of the "Pint" are related
to day, and many of them told
by those who have heard the
relation from the lips of the vet-
erans himself. What a pleasant
task then for some one to collect
these traditions and weave his-
tory from them."

*****

"Just as the battle of Point
Pleasant was the prelude to the
war of Independence, so let the
celebration at the Point in 1874
be the prelude to the grand af
foir to come off at Philadelphia
in 1876, and let every West Vir-
ginian, and every Old Virginian,
and every one who sees proper
to join us, take part in the jubi-
lee on the 10th of October next.''

To further stimulate the inter-
est in the Battle Celebration, the
Register, on June 25th, copied
from Nile's Register, of May 3,
1817. yn account of the battle and
in the issue of August 27, 1874,
the Register copied De Mass'
Hi-story and Indian Wars in West
Virginia, the account in full of
the battle of Point Pleasant.
The Register of October 8, has
tailed up until that time to give
any program or details of the
celebration, but, in speaking of
the Fair then in session, says:
"The Fair will close on Friday

evening with a grand ball at
Beale's Hall On Saturday the
Centennial Celebration will come
of.

The issue of the Weekly Reg
ister of October 15, 1874, gives
the following detailed account of
the Celebration; written Oct.
10th, 1874.

"The Centenniel celebration of
the Battle of Point Pleasant is
now over. Just one hundred
years ago to-night, brave men
and true were mourning over the
dead, and ministering as best
they could to the wounded and
dying. Let us as best we can,
look back upon the day that has
just been closed by the setting
sun of the 10th day of October,
1874, and tell our readers what
has been done. Many an eye
looked out anxiously this morn-
ing to See what was to be the
prospect for a beautiful day.
For one I was sadly disappointed
and feared that the Heavens
would soon be sending down the
rain.

"How anxiously we watched
every appearance indicating like
a breaking away of the lowering
clouds. Soon after an early
breakfast, the clouds began to
look thin, and then spot after
spot of blue sky was seen.
Anxiously did the eager gather-
ing- crowd, look for the promised
published programme. About
9 o'clock A. M., the Register of-
fice sent out the first, which were

103

eagerly seized by the hungry
crowd; then another and another
handful of programmes were
distributed, so that before the
hour of 10 A. M., all seemed to
be posted as to what was to be
done. About 10 o'clock the Com-
pany of Cadets from the Univer-
sity of West Virginia, at Mor-
gantown, were formed in line by
their Captain, H. H. Pierce, in
front of the Kline House, near
the wharf-boat, on the Ohio, and
waited to receive the Knights of
Pythias, from Gallipolis, Ohio,
accompanied by the Gallipolis
Brass Band. Soon the Knights
came marching up, splendidly
dressed, and a fine looking body
of men they were, passing in
front of the Cadets, they halted
on Main Mreet. The Cadets,
moved in column of fours up to
Main Street, then wheeling to
the left, were halted opposite the
Court House — the site of which
is supposed to have been on the
line of battle as it was formed,
just one hundred vears ago to-
day. Here let us give the pro
gramme as follows:

Centennial Celebration

of the
Battle of Point Pleasant.

Order of Exercises.

Procession to form in front of

Court House at 10 A. M. in the

following order: Mayor, Orator,

and Committee of Arrangements.

State Cadets.

The Clergy.

Relatives.
Music.

Knights of Pythias and other
Orders.

Distinguished Guests.

Citizens.

Funeral Procession.

Escort of State Cadets.

Re-interment of the remains of

the heroes who fell in this battle,

with becoming1 ceremonies at 3

o'clock p. m.

Under the effective Marshals
who had been on duty at the
Fair Grounds for the last four
days, the column was formed —
The Cadets were headed by their
own drum corps; the Knights of
Pythias by the Gallipolis and
Point Pleasant Brass Bands
combined, whilst the Ravens-
wood Brass Band marched up
the side walk and waited for the
formation of the column, after
which it took the place assigned
it.

. Just before 11 A. M. the col-
umn was put in motion and
marched in the order assigned,
to the Fair Ground, where more
than a thousand people were
found waiting- the arrival of the
column. So densly crowded was
the amphitheater before the head
of the column reached its front
that it was with the utmost dif-
ficulty that the Committee of
Arrangements could clear away
space enough for the Company
of Cadets. A stand for the
speakers had been erected just

104

opposite the center of the am-
phitheatre. This stand was oc-
cupied by the following persons:
Col. Lewis Ruffner, Col. C. B.
Waggener, Col. Benj. H. Smith,
Capts. H. H. Pierce, Command-
ing the Cadets, Geo. C. Sturgess,
Corresponding Secretary of the
Historical Society of the Board
of Regents University of West
Virginia, J. W. Screntz, Treas-
urer of the same, Dr. Thomas
Creigh, of Greenrier County, Dr.
S G. Shaw, President of the
Centennial Society, F. A.
Guthrie, Attorney at Law, and
member of the Committee of Ar-
rangements, Jno. E. Timms, At-
torney at Law, Secretary of the
Mason County Agricultural So-
ciety, Col. (Dr.) A. R. Barbee,
G. W. E. Mitchell,- of Ports-
mouth, Ohio, John D. Lewis and
Jno. Waddell, who was wearing
the shot pouch aud powder horn
carried by his father, Alexander
Waddell, in the Battle of Point
Pleasant. The Clergy occupy-
ing the stand were Father Fran-
cis Guthrie, one of the Pioneer
Methodist Preachers of the Ka
nawha Valley, Revs. S. E. Lane
T. H. Rymer, T. H. Lacy, G.
C. Wilding, and W. E. 'Hill.
The exercises were introduced
with a prayer offered by Father
Guthrie, which was full of
thanksgiving and praise, then
the orator, Col. Ben Smith, was
introduced by Mr. Timms. He
commenced reading his well

written and interesting address
at 12 o'clock and 22 minutes, just
five minutes after the 13th gun
of the salute was fired by the
Artillery Company from Gallipo-
lis, Ohio. This occupied about
thirty-five minutes. The speak'
er took his seat amid deafening
roars The following resolution
was offered by Dr. Barbee:

Resolved, That the thanks of
this audience be returned to Col.
Smith, for his interesting ad-
dress, and that, with his permis-
sion, it be published in full in the
Point Pleasant Register.

This resolutions was carried
without a dissenting voice.

After this the following pream-
ble and resolutions were offered
by Rev. W. E. Hill:

Whereas, Just one hundred
years have passed by since the
battle of Point Pleasant was
fought and won.

2. In this battle there was
displayed gallantry of such char-
acter, as to merit a lasting mon-
ument.

3. It is the opinion of some,
whose opinion is worthy of re-
spect, that this battle bore an
important relation to the war of
the Revolution, by which the
original thirteen colonies gained
their independence..

4. The battle of Point Pleas-
ant hastened the material pros-
perity of this and other States,
by the sacrifice of noble blood,
therefore be it Resolved.

105

1st. That a committee of
three with power to engage
others, be appointed to solicit
contributions for the purpose of
erecting a monument and pur-
chasing the ground round about
the spot where the remains of
our heroes now repose.

That this committee be em-
powered to raise a subscription
on the ground to-day; to write to
the descendents of the brave
men who were engaged or fell
on the field of Point Pleasant,
asking them to aid in this work
by contributions; to ask the Leg-
islatures of Virginia, West Vir-
ginia, Kentucky and Ohio, to
make appropriations to this
work; and to request also the
Congress of the United States to
make an appropriation to the
same end.

2nd. That this monument be
erected within the next twelve
months, and of West Virginia
marble.

3rd. That it be unveiled on
the 10th of October, 1875.

4th. That the committee be
empowered to arrange for funer-
al oration and an hisiorical ad-
dress on the occasoin: and to
make such other arrangements
as may be necessary to gather
together the military organiza-
tions of the State; the various
secret societies of a benevolent
character; the legislatures of the
State, &c.

Mr. Hill introduced these res-

olutions by a motion to resolve
the vast audience into a Monu-
mental Centennial Organization.
After the reading of the resolu-
tions a motion was made to adopt.
Pending this, Dr. Creigh arose
and asked to be allowed to speak
on the question. Permission
was granted, and the Dr. per-
fectly thrilled those within reach
of his voice. After the Doctor's
eloquent speech, the motion to
adopt the resolutions was carried
with but one single dissenting
voice, whose "nc" was followed
by cries "of ,"put him out!"
"Knock him down," &c.

Mr. Mitchell, of Portsmouth.
Ohio, was then introduced and
made a short speech, which
could not be heard very far off,
owing to the noise of the moving
crowd and the low pitch of voice,
and its effectiveness was marred
to some extent. Loud cries
were head for (Walker) . It was
announced that Mr. Walker was
at the Point, and had been sent
for, but could not get here for
^ome time.

A cry for Sturgess brought
that gentlemen to his feet, and
he made a very happy address.

The President, Dr. G. S. Shaw,
announced as a temporary com-
mittee to wait upon the crowd,
to solicit contributions for the
monument, viz: E. L. Neale,
Dr. C. T. B. Moore, and F. A.
Guthrie. The latter gentlemen
being a member of the Commit-

106

tee of Arrangements, suggested
Rev. W. E. Hill, as his substi-
tute. Recess was taken and
ample provisions were made to
fill the inner man. Many fami-
lies gathered in groups about
the grounds, in picnic fashion,
and ate their dinner whilst a
roast ox was served up at the
public table. During the recess
the committee raised by sub-
scription about six hundred dol-
lars. One gentleman subscrib-
ed two hundred dollars in cash
on two papers, and we do not
think he indends to stop at that
if more is necessary from him,
to erect the monument. There
was such a dense crowd and
such hurrying to and fro that it
was almost impossible to get the
attention of the people long
enough to get them to subscribe,
or we doubt not, more than a
thousand dollars could have
been raised.

After dinner the crowd was
called together to listen to Hon.
Henry S. Walker, who delivered
a most appropriate and thrilling-
ly eloquent address. We would
not attempt to given even a syn-
opsis of it, so carried away were
we with its effect upon the peo-
ple that we could not take a note
but stood, feeling with delight
its effect upon our self and watch-
ing the feelings of uthers as their
animated countenances told that
the touch of eloquence was forc-
ing the tell-tale blood to their

faces. Frequent outbursts of
applause interrupted the speak-
er, and a hearty vote of thanks
was returned for his eloquent
address. We must say one thing
about Mr. Walker's address; it
was written and written too in a
few hours, for he was captured
as he was aiming to pass the
Point. In this case captured
property proved to be A No. 1.
After the address by Mr. Wal-
ker, the procession was reform-
ed in the same order and took
up the line of march from the
point at the head of Viand Street
the column received the Hearse
and Casket containing the re-
mains of some of the heroes of
Point Pleasant that were killed
in the battle. These were e*-
humed on yesterday and today,
under the supervision of the
Committee, Dr. Barbee Superin-
tending in person. Here the
Cadets with reversed arms and
muffled drums, took their posi-
tion as an escort. The column
moved down Main street, to the
Kanawha River, and filed to the
right, where the bone of ourslain
heroes were re-interred with
military honors. At the grave
the beautiful burial service of the
Church was read by the Minis-^
ters present in the column.

As the procession was moving
down Main street, first the Court
House Bell, then the bell of the
M. E. Church, South, were tolled,
whilst the minute gun was fired

107

by the Artillery Company. The
drums were muffled and the
band played an appropriate piece,
thus giving solemnity to the ex-
ercises.

Just before the benediction
was pronounced, a vote of thanks
was returned to the Morgantown
Cadets, to the Knights of
Pythian, Band and Artillery, of
Gallipolis, Ohio, to the Ravens-
wood Band, and all others who
had aided in the Centennial Cele-
bration.

The crowd then dispersed, the
Cadets marched to the Kline
House, where three rousing,
hearty cheers were given them
by all present; the Knights took
up their line of march toward
their homes, at Gallipolis, and
the other organizations went al-
so to their homes. The Cadets
took the steamer Clara Scott for
Charleston.

Thus ended the First Centen-
nial Celebration of the Battle of
Point Pleasant. We say in con-
cluding our description of it,
from morning till night; each one
that had a given part to perform,
'vied with the other as to which
could do it best. All acted well
their parts.

There may have been, but we
did not see, a single drunken
man on the ground.

The Point Pleasant Brass
Band has done better than its
most sanguine friends had hoped
for it, both during the celebration

of today, and toe three days of
the Fair. May it still continue
to improve — we can stand the
hum drum of practice for the
sake of such a treat as they have
given us in the last few days.

Let us all now go to work earn-
nestly and determinedly to make
the "unveiling of the Monument"
as decided a success as the Cele-
bration of today — but let us
make it wider in its extent. Let
us make it State and National.
Come up, one and all witti what
you can do with money and influ-
ence, and we shall have the
pleasure of chronicling at the
end of another year, the success
of the enterprise inagurated to-
day. There will be some croak-
ing as a matter of course — some
men grumble even at the wisdom
and benevolence of the Infinite
God — but let us, who are deter-
mined to succeed in the enter-
prise before us, turn a deaf ear
to all croaking, and the more
they croak, the more determined
let us become. One hundred
years ago was a great historical
epoch of Point Pleasant. Today
has been another, let one year
from today " be another. Who
dares say "nay?" What citizen
of Mason County, or West Vir-
ginia, or Virginia, or Ohio, or
Kentucky, or the United States,
could refuse to aid in doing honor
to the heroes of Point Pleasant?"
BRIEF MENTION.

"In the midst of the throng of

108

the Centennial celebration, we
noticed many of the direct de-
scendants of the warriors of one
hundred years ago, and will re-
call the names of them as far as
we can: There were the East-
hams, the Somervilles, Jas. Ar-
buckle, Jr., of Greenbrier, John
D. Lewis, of Kanawha, the Lew-
ises, of Mason, Mrs. Agnes Se-
hon, who had two grandfathers
in this great battle, (Col. Charles
Lewis and Col. John Stuart,)
who is also the first representa-
tive of four living generations
who were upon the ground and
who are liniel decendents of the
two pioneers — Cols. Lewis and
Stuart. The fourth generation
was represented by her great
grand child, little Graf ton Tyler,
who is now some three or four
years old. Mrs. Sehon was
probably the only person on the
ground that could say as much-
John Waddell, of Ohio, was also
present and had swung around
his shoulder the powder-horn
and bullet pouch, carried by his
father in the Battle of Point
Pleasant on the 10th day of Oc-
tober, 1774. The Hannans, the
Clendennins, the Millers, of Ma-
son County, the Clendenios, the
Hannans, the Millers of Ohio.
There were a number of others
present whose names we did not
ascertain."

On October 22nd, the Register
published the speech of Dr.
Thos. Creigb, of Virginia, deliv

ered on the occasion of the anni-
versary of the battle, which we
quote in part:

"I am glad I am here because
I witness a scene, (and I appeal
to the best and oldest historians
here present for the truth of the
remark, that such a scene of
moral sublimity, except the sign-
ing of the Declaration of Inde-
pendence, has never been pre-
sented to the people of these
United States as is presented
here today.) And what is that
scene? I see around me some
two thousand people with the.
descendants of the heroes of the
battle of Point Pleasant, to the
third and fourth generation, on
this 10th day of October, 1874,—
under a bright October sun, one
hundred years after the battle,—
assembled on the battle-field, fol-
lowing the lofty instincts of our
nature, to gather the bones of
their ancestors, place them in a
metallic coffin, catch the inspira-
tion of their ever living virtue
and valor, and determining to
place a high and enduring monu-
ment to their memory. Yes sir,
to erect a monument high and
lofty on the banks between the
Great Kanawha and Ohio, to
overlook these two great rivers,
the music of whose waters will
mingle with the names forever,
where the passengers on board
your vast merchant steamers,
sailing on these great commer-
cial highways, shall see it and as

109

they pass by uncover their heads
and toll from the bell a requiem
to their memory, and where the
valiant youth of our country
shall in all future time come to
worship at this shrine, study
their character, imitate their vir-
tues and be inspired by their
lofty deeds of patriotism, and
where boys and girls in happy
bands shall come for long cen-
turies and cover this marble
column with the cypress and the
vine, and the immortal flower."

"Yes, sir, build this marble
column to their memory, for
they were "tall and grand" old
warriors. Do you know why I
say "tall and grand?" they are
not original terms with me. I
will tell you where I got them.
Old Pool, a colored man, was the
body servant of Col. John Stuart,
of Greenbrier at the battle and
witnessed the fight at Pt. Pleas-
ant, and took part in it. Old Dick
Pointer, another colored man,
was the hero of Donnalley's Fort,
near Lewisburg, Greenbrier
county, and for his bravery, was
freed by the Legislature of Vir-
ginia, and received a pension.
Col. Ben Smith, our orator, was
no doubt a member of the Vir-
ginia Legislature at that time.
Old Pool and Old Dick were
talking over their battles in
Lewisburg one day when I was
a school boy, and we school boys
were all standing by and listen-
ing. Pool and Dick became very

much excited in telling what
each had done. Dick says the
Indian is taller than the white
man for I killed Indians as high
as the court house. No, says
Pool, if you could have seen Mas.
John and Charles and James, in
the light at the Point, when fire
flew out of their eyes like the fire
out of their guns; they were just
as tall and grand as the old trees
on Kanawha. That is the rea-
son why I say they were "tall
and grand old warriors."

"But, sir, history informs us
that there was a man by the
name of George Washington,
who had a high opinion of the
companies of these Point Pleas-
ant, warriors, for he said in a
dark hour of his campaign to his
wearied and dispirited army on
the plains of New Jers'ey, 'only
give me the men to place the
standard of my country on the
mountains of West Augusta, and
I will call around me the men
who shall make my country free.
These 'tall and grand' warriors
were West Augusta men, and
Washington knew them."

"Yes, build a monument of en-
during marble to the memory of
those old grand warriors, for
you may look down the long pic-
ture gallery of history and you
will find no brighter or grander
names than the men of 1774 and
1776. Nor let us forget their
characters, or their great princi-

no

pies of civil liberty, or insult the
spirit of liberty."

While the Register of Decem-
ber 10, 1774, gives the following
account of the committee.

The Point Pleasant Monu-
ment Association held their first
meeting in the law office of John
W, English, Esq., December 4th,
1874. All the members of the
Committee, viz: W. E. Hill, F.
A. Guthrie and John W. English,
were present. On motion, John
W. English, was called to the
chair; and on further motion,
was made permanent Chairman.
On motion, C. E. Hogg, was
elected Secretary, and T. Strib-
ling, Treasurer. On motion, the
Committee was ordered to in-
quire into the title of the land on
which the monument is to be
erected. «On motion, the Com-
mittee was directed to see Drs.
Shaw and Moore with reference
to subscription papers, and also
ascertain how much money is in
their hands belonging to the
Association, and to pay the same
to the Treasurer. On motion,
the Association adjourned to
meet Thursday evening, Decem-
ber 17th, 1874."

While no report has been pre-
served of the Monument Associ-
ation, founded on October 10,
1874, the work of procuring
funds was taken up by the Ma-
son County representatives in
the Legislature of West Virginia,
Hon. Edmund Sehon, descendant

of Col. Charles Lewis introduc-
ing the bill in the lower house,
while Hon. P. C. Eastham, de-
scendant of George Eastham, of
the Battle of Point Pleasant, in-
troduced the bill in the upper
house. On Feb. 25, 1875, the
Legislature passed a bill carry-
ing an appropriation of $3,500.00
to aid in the purchase of land
and the erection of a monument
in'commemoration of the Battle
of Point Pleasant, the President
and Secretary of the Monument
Association to have charge of the
erection of said monument, the
parties investing the money with
approved security, awaiting as
sistance from other states.
No further action was taken un-
til Feb. 26, 1897, when the Leg-
islature adopted a Joint Resolu-
tion by which Governor Geo. W.
Atkinson appointed Judge John
W. English, Dr. A. R. Barbee
and Judge F. A. Guthrie as cus-
todians of the fund appropriated
by the Legislature.

The matter again lay dormant
and no effort was made either to
collect the funds or secure fur-
ther appropriations.

That the State and Point
Pleasant was not free from cen-
sure for their dereliction of duty,
we quote in part from the King-
wood Argus of June 29, 1899,
copied in the State Gazette July
4th, of that year: "We were at
Point Pleasant and visited the
graves of the almost forgotten

Ill

dead who fell in that memorable
battle and we were surprised
and indignant to find the place
almost surrounded by stables
and hog- pens and lying- along- a
back alley with not a mark of
any kind to designate the spot;
not even a fence or wall around
the place and no one could find it
without a guide who knew just
where it was. It was only a very
small plot of ground, in some one
else's back yard, with stables on
two sides of it and a garden on
another side and the only way to
get to it is down a dirty alley.
Nearly a hundred pioneers of
that section who fell in that bat-
tle, fighting old Cornstalk for
possession of the beautiful land
along the Ohio river lie buried
there, unmarked and almost for-
gotton. It is a burning shame
and disgrace on the town to al-
low it. We went up to a news-
paper office and made a vigorous
kick about it and learned that
money ha'd been appropriated
by the State and also quite a sum
raised by the ladies of Point
Pleasant to erect a monument to
these heroes, dead defenders of
our country. Now let justice
and decency compel a disposition
of this matter. The State or
the town should take charge and
secure some contiguous ground
to the resting place which can-
not be called a cemetery or even
a graveyard, as it is now, and
make a little park out of it with

a fence around it, and erect a.
handsome mouument on the cen-
ter of the site and make a decent
way to get 10 it by removing
some of the adjoining stables
and hog pens."

The State Gazette appended
the following editorial comment:
"We think the suggestion that
the park and monument should
be contiguous to the resting
place of the dead heroes and
should include it as well as the
site of the old fort is the cor-
rect solution. The Argus
will no doubt be surprised to
learn that there are suggestions
now made that the monument be
placed away up on the Ohio
bank twelve squares from the
site of the old fort and grave of
Col. Lewis and others, and sug-
gestions that it be placed back
on the hill overlooking the town. "

There is no mention of the
celebration of the anniversary of
that year 1899 save the local
newspaper account that,

"To-day, October 10, 1899, is
the one hundred and twenty-fifth
anniversary of ihe battle of Point
Pleasant, fought between Gener-
al Andrew Lewis and Cornstalk,
the sachem of many nations and
no citizen evidenced any inter-
est save Col. G. B. Thomas, the
Post-master, who decorated the
Post Office with flags."

No further agitation of the
subject appeared in the local
newspapers save that o f the

112

State Gazette of April 21, 1899,
urging the organization of a
Chapter of Daughters of the
American Revolution and Sons
of the Revolution here, looking
forward to proper recognition of
the Battle of Point Pleasant in
which it said: "Here was
fought the first battle of the Rev-
olution and whv should not this
town and county boast of the
largest patriotic organizations in
the State."

No further steps were taken
at Point Pleasant looking to a
monument appropriation until
Feb. 11, 1901, when Mrs. Livia
Simpson-Poffenbarger issued a
call for the organization of a
Chapter of the Daughters of the
American Revolution which is of
date of Feb. 14, 1909, reported
as follows in the State Gazette :

"A sufficient number of ladies
met at the home of Mrs. George '
Poffenbarger yesterday to organ-
ise a Chapter of the Daughters
of the American Revolution. As
soon as the requirements are
duly met, a Charter will be
granted. This is a most com-
mendable move and should meet
with the support and best wish-
es of the entire town."

At this meeting it was explain-
ed that the chief motive in organ-
izing this patriotic society was
that an organized effort might
be made to secure funds for the
erection of a Battle Monument at
Point Pleasant and the recogni-

tion of the battle as that of the
first Battle of the Revolution.

On Feb. 26, 1901, a call was is-
sued for the organization of a
Chapter of Sons of the Revolution
and the State Gazette of that is-
sue said editorially, "This is a
move in the right direction.
This is the historic spot of the
first battle of the Rev.olution.
In order that history may accord
us that place with due credit, we
must first show that Point Pleas-
ant appreciates this fact. If the
spot is to be properly marked
and receive from the National
Government the appropriation
arid recognition for a splendid
monument that the battle de-
serves, we must first show that
the memory is dear to us."

On Feb. 29, 1901, the Daugh-
ters of the American Revolution
were formally organized and the
name selected was that of Col.
Charles Lewis, named for one of
the best beloved heroes of those
who fell at the Battfe -of Point
Pleasant. At that meeting the
Daughters in conformity with
the statement of Governor White
that be would appoint one man
outside of Point Pleasant and
two resident members of the
commission to look after the
funds the ladies recommended
V. A. Lewis of Mason and P. S
Lewis and C. C. Bowyer of Point
Pleasant, but the Governor later
decided to appoint but one man
in Point Pleasant and the com-

113

mission named was John P.
Austin, C. C. Bovvyer and V. A.
Lewis. On March 11, 1901, Mr.
Joe Friedman not only present-
ed the Col. Charles Lewis Chap-
ter the money with which to pay
for their charter, but also for
the purchase of their record
books and proffered when a
monument was completed to
donate a splendid Band and
Speaker's stand.

The State Gazette of March
11, 1901, says: "The new com-
mittee to be appointed should
first secure the grounds. This
would be the beginning looking
toward the end. Then the old
building's could be cleared away,
grading- done, grass sown, trees
set out and the grounds beauti-
fied. These all take time to
bring- them to perfection.
There is sufficient money all
ready subscribed, tog-ether with
wh'at could be secured, by pri-
vate subscription to do this much
handsomely. The government
could then be presented the
ground as a National Historic
Park and the War Department
under the head of Rivers and
Harbors could be induced to
grade the banks bordering on
both rivers and they would then
be forever taken care of. Be-
sides, its historic significance, it
is in point of beauty of location
the most desirable site in town.
The view is splendid from both
rivers. The view from the sur-

rounding- hills is perfect and it
would give strangers a different
opinion of the town from the
ragged appearance it now has
from rail and river.

On April 18, 1901, the newly
appointed Monument Commis-
sioners gave bond before the
Mason County Court with ap-
proved security and when they
had met for organization, John
P. Austin was elected President
and C. C. Bowyer Treasurer and
V. A. Lewis Secretary.

The issue of May 28, 1901, of
the State Gazette says: "The
Battle Monument Commission
held a meeting at the Merchants
National Bank Saturday last.
The members composing the
commission Hon. John P. Aus-
tin, President, Hon. V. A.
Lewis, Secretary and Hon. C. C.
Bowyer, Treasurer, together
with other citizens and a State
Gazette Reporter went down to
the Kanawha point where had
stood the old fort and where
some of the heroes of the battle
of Point Pleasant were buried
and made a careful inspection of
the grounds. The public seem
generally united in the belief
that this is the proper place to
erect the monument and it might
be said that the property bound-
ed by Main and First Streets
and the two rivers will be pur-
chased shortly by the commis-
sion provided the owners of the

114

property do not demand too ex-
orbatant a price."

On Decoration Day, May 30th,
1901, for the first time a public
memorial exercise was held,
whereby the graves of the heroes
of the battle of Point Pleasant
were decorated, in charge
of 'the D. A. R. and G. A. R. so-
cieties of the town. A large con-
course of people attended the ex-
ercises. The State Gazette of
June 18, 1901, records that John
D. McCulloch had given an op-
tion on his property on the mon-
ument site for $1,000 00; C. H.
Varian $1,200.00; Geo. T., Chas.
and Henry Stone $3,000.00; Thos.
Durst $600.00, a total of $5,SOO.-
00, which includes all the contem-
plated territory needed except
the Geo. Comstock property, up-
on which a price had not been
agreed."

Later Mr. Comstock's proper-
ty was secured at $2,200.00.

From the issue of August,
1901, of the Charleston Daily
Mail's report of the Monument
Commission, held at that place
we glean the following: "Hon.
V. A. Lewis reported that the
Commission had about $11,000.00
in the treasury, but that the
work, as planned would necessi-
tate the expenditure of $25,000.-
00 more." Speaking of the Bat-
tle of Point Pleasant, the Daily
Mail quotes Mr. Lewis as fol-
lows: "All careful painstaking
thoughtful historians have re-

garded it as the first in the ser-
ies of the Revolution which gave
the continent to liberty. It was
the chief event of Dunmore's
War."

On August 29, 1901, the State
Gazette announced that the Com-
mittee had decided to commence
clearing the grounds at once and
that paper made the first appeal
for the Celebration of the Battle.

"It is the intention that the
clearing of the grounds shall be
completed by the anniversary of
the great battle of Point Pleas-
ant, Oct. 10, 1774."

"The significance of the battle
has not been wholly overlooked.
Thousands know of its impor-
tance and it remains for Point
Pleasant herself to appreciate
her relation to history and de-
mand from the State and from
Congress the substantial recog-
nition due this spot. Our citi-
zens should join in one glorious
celebration of this anniversary
Oct. 10 . We trust that there is
enough patriotism in the town
to observe it. If in no other
way, let it be one grand
union picnic. The weather will
be fine and all can come together
at least in the spirit of patriotism
and good fellowship".

Mrs. Poffenbarger, editor of
the State Gazette, not only is-
sued a call for a citizen's meet-
ing-on Thursday night Septem-
ber 5th, looking toward the cele-
bration, but she had secured the

115

cooperation of Col. J. P. R B.
Smith and, at that meeting do-
nated the services of her paper
to advertise the meeting-, supple-
mented by a subscription secur-
ed by her of over S200.00 with
which to begin the work. The
paper of that issue contained the
following full page advertise-
ment, besides the names of the
donors of cash:

127th ANNIVERSARY
The First Battle of the Revolu-
tion to be celebrated at
POINT PLEASANT, W. VA.
Thursday Oct. 10th, 1901.
Great National Speakers
will be present.

Entertainment for the people.
Excursions on all railroads and
steamboats will be arranged for.

The Old Log Mansion built in
1796, that has lived in three cen-
turies will be used to exhibit the
greatest lot of Historic Relics
ever brought together in West
Virginia, outside the Historical
Society at Charleston.

EVERY ONE INVITED.

The monument Park and
Court House yard will make fine
picnic grounds.

Watch this space for attrac-
tions as they are secured."

As a result of the meeting at
the court house committees were
organized and Mrs. Poffenbarger
participated in the work of
all the committees. The issue
of September 19 shows an addi-
tional subscription, making a to-

tal of $409.00, besides generous
subscriptions, of exhibits for the
museum. The children of the
public schools contributed S8.50
to be used in decorating a wagon
for the parade. The newspa-
pers of the country stood»up and
:ook notice of the big celebration
and helped advertise it.

In the issue of Oct. 10th, The
State Gazette announced the
presence of distinguished visit-
ors, among whom was Gen. C.
H. Grosvener of Ohio, faithful
advocate for an appropriation
from Congress to commemorate
the battle. Virgil A. Lewis, in
an article published in the State
Gazette of that date, said:

"After all, even though it be
here, is it best to assert without
reference to the proof that the
battle of Point Pleasant is the
first battle of the Revolution and
then array against us the whole
of New England where the peo-
ple are jealous of the claims
of Lexington. It is easy to
make assertions, but to exam-
ine hundreds of volumes and ob-
tain records from both Europe
and America in proof of the
same, is quite another thing.
Do not throw the burden of
proof of this matter on a com-
mittee before a Congressional
Committee."

The State Gazette of October
17, 1901, announced that the
Mansion House had been turned
over to of three ladies who had

116

accepted it as a headquarters
for the Col. Charles Lewis Chap-
ter D. A. R. Also that work on
Tu-Endie-Wei Park had been
discontinued for want of funds
and made an appeal that the
Commfssion set out trees on the
edge of the Park or permit the
citizens to do so. Also the list
of subscribers to the expense of
the Celebration.

While th.e following- is the pub-
lished account of the big cele-
bration:

"THEY CAME.
From Every Direction.
Ten Thousand People Celebrat-
ed the 127th Anniversary of the
First Battle of
The Revolution.
Tu-Endie-Wei Park.

On last Thursday the good
citizens of Point Pleasant cele-
brated the 127th anniversary of
the battle of Point Pleasant, the
first battle of the Revolution.

It only needed for our people
to arouse themselves and make
the effort to have one of the big-
gest celebrations ever held in the
state. Beside our people, who
were for the most part upon our
streets, enough more swelled the
crowd until we had fully ten
thousand celebrating. Hereto-
fore, when we had any demon-
stration in the town, the crowd
was from the Ohio river landing
to the Court House. This time
the streets were crowded from

the Court House to the Kanawha
River, with fully five thousand
people upon the Park.

The K. & M. Railroad ran a
dollar excursion from Athens to
this place, and Point Pleasant
can never forget the kindness of
that road. When we solicited
them for a cheap rate they re-
plied if it would be any accommo-
dation to Point Pleasant and
they only made it pa}' expense of
running the train they would
give it to us to show to Point
Pleasant the kindly feeling of
that road toward our town.
They not only gave us just the
service we asked for but they
put out 15,000 attractive hand
bills and advertised their rates
in the newspapers along the
route, and when they came in
here they brought us not only
the Nelsonville and Middleport
bands, but they brought a big
train packed with people from
Athens and way stations; they
brought us Gen. Chas. H. Gros-
venor, one of the stalwarts sons
of the Revolution who came to
address our people and promote
the success of the day. The K.
& M. brought us a train of eight
or ten coaches from Charleston
that had standing room only and
while the excursion was profita-
ble to the K. & M. and we are
glad it was, we must not forget
that it was run wholly to compli-
ment Point Pleasant. The con-
duct of the K. & M. was greatly

117

in contrast to that of the Onio
River Division of the B. & O. R.
R , who were importuned by let-
ter, in person, and by telegraph,
to give us a rate, but of no avail,
and notwithstanding full fair was
charged, that road brought in
crowds of people with a crowded
train from the north aud stand-
ing room only coming in from
the south end. Steamboats
brought in excursions and hacks
run between here and Gallipolis
while six hundred persons cross-
ed the Kanawha Ferry, and as
many more had to be ferried in
private boats in harbor. The
farmers came in carriages, bug-
gies, expresses, big wagons,
horseback and on foot, any way
so they came, and they came as
a multitude.

"Notwithstanding the rain, the
night before, which was just
enough to lay the dust, the sun
shone out about eight o'clock
and the day was ideal."

"Never before did the old town
wear such a gala dress. Old
Glory and buntings galore waved
from every residence and busi-
ness house. There was neither
the difference of politics or reli-
gion or even the distinction of
secret organizations to mar the
occasion, but all came together
upon a common level for one
grand glorification of the cele-
bration of the battle, the farthest
reaching in its effect of any bat-
tle ever fought upon the Ameri-

can Continent — the first battle of
the Revolution — the battle that
broke the power of the red men
in America; the battle that
brought the treaty that enabled
civilization to mareh on to the
west and southwest and great
northwest territory; the battle
that resulted in ceding to Vir-
ginia and thence to the colonies
the great Northwest; that battle
that defied at its close Tory mis-
rule, the first battle ever fought
after the tea had been thrown
overboard at Boston Harbor the
preceding March. The Boston
Port Bill, of May, 1774, the sig-
nal for actual conflict had been
passed. The House of Burges-
ses, of Virginia, had declared
the first of June of that year to
be "A day of fasting, imploring
the Divine interposition to avert
the heavy calamity which threat-
ened destruction to their civil
rights and the evils of a civil
war." Massachusetts had pas-
sed resolutions deploring the op-
pression of Great Britain.
Patrick Henry had made his
famous speech before the House
of Burgesses, of Virginia, de-
claring that "The war is inevita-
ble, and let it come," and asked
"Is life so dear or peace so sweet
as to be purchased at the price
of chains and slavery?"

"England, too, recognized be-
fore the Battle of Point Pleasant
that the war was inevitable, and
determined to keep the colonists

118

so busy defending themselves
from hostile Indians armed with
English muskets and English
amunition, that they would
have no time to think of the
wrongs inflicted upon them by
the mother country. Great
Britain never had a better tool
than Lord Dunmore, the Tory
Governor of Virginia, as his sub-
sequent conduct proved. Hence,
the battle of Point Pleasant, (in
which Lord Dunmore intended
the flower of the Colonial Army
of Virginia to be destroyed but
which, victorious to his surprise)
became the first battle in which
the blood of patriots was spilled
upon American soil for the cause
of National Independence, and
was so credited by Alexander S.
Withers, in his chronicles of
Border warfare, later by Ban-
croft, the Government historian,
by President Rosevelt, in his
"Winning the West," and by
many other historians, of repute.

Is it any wonder that we point
with pride to this battle and in-
vited the whole country to cele-
brate with us?

"At ten o'clock the parade be-
gan to form on First Street and
it was of such magnitude that it
took Col. J. P. R. B. Smith, the
Grand Marshall of the day, and
his corps of splendid assistants,
an hour to get them all in line
ready for march. It was headed
by James Somerville, of Pleasant
Flats, dressed as Uucle Sam,

(and in face and figure he is typi-
cal of the figurative head of the
nation,) all the city fathers, ex-
cept Mayor Somerville, who act-
ed as a marshall, were in the
parade in carriages, The fire
department were out with their
wagon decorated. There were
floats galore, put in by the busi-
ness men of the town, vying
with each other to see which
could make the finest display.
The three splendid bands,
Cheshire, Middleport and Nel-
sonville, discoursed sweet music
along the route and the children
of the white schools marching in
line wearing bouteniers of na-
tional colors, waving flags, which
little girls representing "the
states and territories, an d the
colored children on a wagon
beautifully decorated made the
prettiest ' parade ever seen in
Point Pleasant.

What might have been a seri-
ous accident, but proved to be a
fortunate escape, occured when
a wagon with 103 children on it
passed over a culvert on 14th
Street. The culvert went down
and the top of the wagon was
separated in the lunge from the
platform and the children were
precipated to the ground.
Fortunately no one was hurt and
the procession proceeded down
Main Street to First, the chil-
dren falling in line with the
others in the line of march,
where they disbanded Three

119

open air concerts were given
from 1 to 2 o'clock, when the
speaking began from a platform
at the grounds recently purchas-
ed as a site for a monument yet
to be arected. The grounds are
situated at the junction of the
Kanawha and Ohio Rivers, with-
out doubt the most beautiful site
for a park on the Ohio river."

The large audience was called
to order by Col. J. P. R. B.
Smith, who called our distin-
guished fellow townsmen, Hon.
C. E. Hogg to the chair. Mr.
Hogg in his usual pleasing man-
ner did the honors of the occa-
sion with credit to himself and
to Point Pleasant. Mr. Hogg
then introduced Mrs. Livia
Simpson-Poffenbarger, Regent
of Col. Chas. Lewis Chapter of
the Daughters of the American
Revolution, who had been desig-
nated by her Chapter to dedicate
and name the park which she did
in a short address, as follows:

"Mr. Chairman, Ladies and
Gentleman:

It has been deemed fitting and
appropriate, that, by some
means this beautiful and historic
spot of ground be dedicated to
the noble purpose for which it
has been purchased, and given a
name by which it may be known
in the future. The important
duty has not been sought by the
organization I have the honor to
represent. I wish to emphasize
the fact, without going into ex-

planation or detail, that it has
been rather thrust upon us. We
are simply doing that which has
been denied to others who have
been invited to do it, by their
situation and present circum-
stances. We have accepted the
trust and assumed the duty in
the absence of others who might,
and we sincerely believe, would
have preformed it better.

However, I wish to premise
that it is not at all unappropriate
that the Society of the Daughters
of the American Revolution per-
form this most important func-
tion. Ours is purely a patriotic
organization and our work is
carried on in the name of patri
otism and inspired by love of
country. The objects and pur-
poses of our society are set forth
in our constitution, Article 1, as
follows:

(1) "To perpetuate the mem-
ory of the spirit of the men and
women who achieved American
Independence, by the acquisition
and protection of historical spots,
and the erection of monuments;
by the encouragement to histori-
cal research in relation to the
Revolution and the publication of
its results; by the preservation
of documents and relics and of
the records of individual services
of Revolutionary soldiers and pa-
triots, and by the promotion of
celebrations of all patriotic anni-
versaries.
• (2) To carry out the injunc-

12Q

tion of Washington in his fare-
well address to the American
people, "To promote as an ob-
ject of primary importance, in-
stitutions for the general diffu-
sion of knowledge," thus devel-
oping an enlightened opinion,
and affording to young and old
such advantages as shall develop
in them the largest capacity for
performing the duties of Ameri-
can citizens.

(3) To cherish, maintain, and
to extend the institutions of
American freedom, to foster
true patriotism and love of coun-
try and to aid in securing for
mankind all the blessings of lib-
erty."

"Another thing I wish to im-
press upon all here to-day is the
fact that ours is the only society
professing to be founded exclu-
sively upon our Revolutionary
struggle that recognizes the Bat-
tle of Point Pleasant as a part of
the war for American indepen-
dence. Reputable historians, in-
cluding Bancroft, President
Roosevelt and others have as-
serted that it was the initial, the
first battle of the Revolutionary
war. Moreover, they have pro-
duced the indisputable evidence
upon which the assertion is bas-
ed. What the concensus of
American opinion will be as the
years shall roll on and historical
research shall bring to light the
whole truth, we cannot say. If
the verdict shall be the affirma-'

tive of that proposition then the
first battle shall not be lacking
in display of heroism and pa-
triotism, exhibited in the midst
of an almost interminable wilder-
ness and hand to hand with a
savage and at the same time
valorous foe."

"The memory of that great
struggle, will we think, be well
and fittingly preserved upon
these grounds. A splendid and
enduring monument is to be
erected commemorative of the
battle. On some part of it will
be a bronze statute of the heroic
Andrew Lewis, the commanding
general. On it will be inscribed
in imperishable letters the
names of the brave Col. Chas.
Lewis and Col. Fields and all
those who fell with them in de-
fense of liberty and the homes of
our race. On these grounds
will be laid down and preserved
the outlines of old Fort Ran-
dolph.

Without some reference to the
stubborn foe which drew the
brilliant flash of fire from the
steel of these heroes, in the
shades of primeval forests, far
from the abode of any white
man, this history written in
grounds, stone, marble and
bronze would be incomplete.
The red men were fighting for
their homes and hunting
grounds. From their stand-
point, their conduct was patri-

121

otic. They were defending the
graves of their fathers."

•'To the end, therefore, that
history, as far as possible, may
be fully preserved and patri-
otism, in its broadest sense may
be recognized, it has been decid-
ed to give this park the oldest
— first name it has ever been
known to possess — its Indian
name. By authority of the Mon-
ument Commission appointed by
the Governor of this state, and
in the name of the Society of the
Daughters of the American Rev-
olution, we now dedicate this
park, the property of the State
of West Virginia, to patriotism
and the preservation of history
and name it "Tu-Endie-Wei
Park;" which signifies in the
Shawnee tongue "the mingling of
waters," this being the junc-
tion of two rives."

Mr. Hogg next introduced Col.
Bennett H. Young, of Louisville,
Ky., who had been previously in-
vited to address the Assembly,
and no happier selection could
have been made. The people as
a unit fell in love with the man.
He talked directly to their hearts,
and we fortunately secured his
speech which is reproduced in
this issue of the State Gazette.
Col. Young also loaned, for the
occasion, his pioneer suit, which
consisted of a hunting shirt and
flint lock gun which bad belong-
ed to Daniel Boone, which he
had completed by the addition of

a "long knife," leather breetches
and a coon skin cap. Herman
Snyder was selected to wear the
suit, beingsmooth shaved and cor-
responding in weight and height
to Daniel Boone."

"Col. Young was followed by
our poet laureate, Louis Reed
Campbell, who recited in splen-
did style his poem, written for
the occasion:

OUR HEROES.

Grave by grave, where the rivers meet, and

gently flow.

The patriot sleeps, and by his side a van-
quished silent foe.

Year on year with wondrous swiftness glid-
ed by.

And yet no stone was reared where brave
men dared to die

Time's hand was in the game that drove the

Indian from his land.
In it the shadow of a wrong that greed

could not withstand,
More than a century gone ere right doth o'er

wrong prevail,
Alike we honor, now, who faced the

feathered shaft and rifles' deadly hail.

Departed chief tan of a mighty race, so soon

to disappear!
What does the future hold, save memory,

softened by a tear?
For even now adown the changing slope of

fleeting time

The painted warrior glides away, to leave
no trail behind.

No power can dim the luster now of that vic-
torious band,

Who fought and fell and tired again
where now we stand.

If fairness to the foe is due, what honor must
be theirs.

Whose names too sacred for an eulogy,
drift upward with our prayers."

The following is taken from
the Point Pleasant Observer of
October 17, 1901,:

"TU-ENDIE-WEI PARK."
A Great Outpouring- of the Peo-
ple at ,„ its Dedication Last
Thursday. A Gala Day

For Point Pleasant.
"We have not space to tell of
the big celebration on Thursday
the 10th. This means that if we

122

were to take up every inch of
space in the whole paper we
could not tell all about it. So we
will have to tell a little about it
and let the rest go."

"Day dawned bright and clear
with never a cloud to remind one
of the little sprinkle of the night
before, The town was pro-
fuselv decorated with flags and
bunting. The first signal ot
the coming dawn was announc-
ed by the watchman on the
site of Old fort Randolph, who
was in charge of the relics, firing
the morning gun. Immediatley
after this the church bells begun
to ring, say at 5 o'clock, and the
mill whistles and those of the
steamboats began to blow until
not only everybody in town,
but every one within five miles
of the town, was wide awake.

By eight o'clock, the country
people were pouring into town
in streams from every direction.
All roads led to Point Pleasant
and all roads were full. At half
past nine the trains began to
pour their loads into town and
by 10 o'clock the crowd was var-
iously estimated from 6,000 to
10,000 people. At 10 o'clock
Col. J. P. R. B. Smith began to
form the huge mass of people in-
to a line of march and even with
his able assistants it was an
Herculean task. Finally the
parade was formed and headed
by Col. James Somerville and a
platoon of police followed by

Grand Marshall J. P. R. B.
Smith, the large procession mov-
ed over the principal streets of
the town and at last ended at the
beautiful park at the junction of
the two rivers."

"The parade consisted of the
town officers in carriages, citi-
zens in carriages, citizens on
horseback, people on foot, the
children of the public schools,
both white and colored, some in
wagons and some on foot, with
three brass bands, interspersed
at regular intervals, and all in-
terspersed with display made
by our merchants until the
whole presented a scene of beau-
ty. Merchants from other towns
who inform the newspaper peo-
ple of Point Pleasant that it does
no good to advertise here were
also glad to have a place in the
big parade and were not asham-
ed to be the lustiest how.lers for
Point Pleasant's big day."

After the people had gotten
something to eat they again as-
sembled at the park and were
called to order by J. P. R. B.
Smith who called Hon. C. E.
Hogg one of this district's dis-
tinguished ex-corigressmen to
the chair. Mr. Hogg after a
short but eloquent address in-
troduced Mrs. George Poffen-
barger, Regent of Col. Chas.
Lewis chapter of the Daughters
of the American Revolution who,
in a short address, and by au-
thority of the Monument Com-

123

missions named the beautiful plot
of ground "Tue-Endie-Wei"
Park, "Tue-Endie-Wei" in the
Sbawnee language meaning
"'the mingling of the waters."

Chairman Hogg next introduc-
ed Col. Bennet H. Young of
Louisville, Ky., after which
Louis Reed Campbell recited an
original poem written for the oc-
casion entitled "Our Heroes."
Next followed Gen. Chas. H.
Grosvener, of Ohio, who deliver-
ed a characteristic Grosvener ad-
dress. The program of the day
was concluded by the burial of
the remains of "MAD ANN
BAILEY," which had been dis-
interred from their resting place
of 76 years and brought here for
burial, thus carrying out her de-
sire, expressed more than three
quarters of a century ago, to be
buried on Virginia soil."

"The museum contained large
number of historic relics which
held the interest of the vast
crowd from early morn to the
leaving time of the late train and
steamboat in the evening."

The Huntington Advertiser of
October 11, 1901, said.

"The Huntingtonians who vis-
ited Point Pleasant yesterday
returned last evening happy
over the exercises of the day."

"It was the proudest and most
memorable in the life of that his-
toric community. Amid anas
sembly of ten thousand persons,

many of whom had come half
way across the continent to be
present, the beautiful grove at
the junction of the Kanawha and
Ohio rivers, was for ever dedicat-
ed to the memory of the gallant
Virginians who, one hundred
and twenty-seven years ago,
gave to the world the first mani-
festation of that valor, which in
after years, broke the power of
Great Britain and made this con-
tinent the abiding place of civil
liberty."

"No spot in the Ohio valley is
so full of historical significance
as the old town of Point Pleasant.
No spot will be more beautiful
when the towering granite shaft,
to be erected at an estimated
cost of forty thousand dollars,
shall greet the eye of the strang-
er as he approaches this true
cradle of American liberty."

Quoting from the Gallia Times
of October 9th, we find.

"Much interest is being taken
by the Point Pleasant people in
the coming anniversary of the
Indian battle fought there.
This was on October 10, 1774, or
127 years ago, and, on this day
the power of the Red Men in the
Kanawha and Ohio Valleys was
wrested from them. The day
should long be remembered and
we believe will be fittingly cele-
brated by our neighbor city."

The Gallipolis Journal of Octo-
ber 9th, said.

124

"BATTLE
Of Point Pleasant will be

Celebrated on
Thursday next."

"Our neighbors across the
river are making extensive prep-
arations for the celebration of
the battle of Point Pleasant, the
first conflict of the Revolution-
on Thursday Oct. 10. It was in
1774 that the most desperate In-
dian battle on record was fought
between the confederated Indian
tribes, under the celebrated
chief. Cornstalk, and the Vir-
ginia Militia under command
of Gen. Andrew Lewis."

"There will be a relic display
and a big parade. The old log
mansion that has stood in three
centuries will be among the
other relics of primitive days.
Gen. Grosvener and Col. Bennett
Young, of Louisville, one of Ken-
tucky's most magnetic speakers.
will be present at the celebration.
The remains of Ann Bailey, the
heroine of the revolution, have
been disinterred and will be con-
signed to their new resting place
on Thursday. There will be
three bands and a most interest-
ing program and the 10th prom-
ises to be an eventful day at
Point Pleasant"

The following is from the
Weekly Register, of Point Pleas-
ant, W. Va., under date of Oc-
ober 17, 1901.

"THE CELEBRATION.
Of the One Hundred and Twen-

ty-Seventh Anniversary of the
Battle of Point Pleasant. Thous-
ands of Visitors Within our
Gates. The Celebration a Suc-
cess in Every Particular and the
day will be long remembered by
all present."

"Despite the cloudy weather
and rain of Wednesday, Thurs-
day morning, October 10th, 1901,
dawned with the old Sol, and a
twinkle in his eye, to the gratifi-
cation of the committees in
charge and the citizens of our
little city in general, for clear
and favorable weather meant for
the celebration of the first battle
of the Revolution, (fought at
Point Pleasant on October 10,
1774, between the whites under
command of Colonel Charles
Lewis, aud the Indians,) un-
bounded and unprecedented suc-
cess.

The committees in charge of
this, the 127th anniversary of
this great battle, have been earn-
est workers to accomplish this
end, and deserve much credit for
their untiring efforts.

The genial Marshall in chief,
Colonel J. P. R. B. Smith and his
assistants, handled the big
parade which was formed in the
first ward in a manner credita-
ble to a general with an army of
100,000.

In the parade was a represen-
tation of all our business people,
the children of our public schools
turning out in full, dressed in

125

national colors, companies of
horsemen, the fire department,
the hook and ladder company,
and everything and every body
to make up a grand trades dis-
play the like of which has never
before been seen in Point Pleas-
ant."

"To say the town wasgaly dec-
orated with bunting, flags, &c.,
is not necessary, for the emblem
of our great nation was never so
profusely displayed as on this
occasion."

"The park at the confluence of
the Ohio and Kanawha rivers
where the monument to com-
memorate this great battle will
be erected, has been put in the
best proper shape, and was
thronged with visitors and sight-
seers throughout the day."

"The old house, considerably
over a hundred years old, which
was converted into a museum
and filled with relics, was the
most interesting feature of the
occasion."

"The ladies in charge of the
museum are commended by our
citizens and visitors upon the
manner in which this "relic
store" was conducted, and the
courtesies accorded all."

"A collection of relics, such as
Indian implements of warfare,
old pictures, dishes, dresses,
jewelry and many other articles
too numerous to mention, are
not seen by one generation more

than once, and one who missed
this treat is at loss to know or
conceive the manner in which
these old settlers lived and had
their being. Bands of music de-
lighted the visitors and the day
was one of joy from morning un-
til night. The crowd was order-
ly well behaved and jolly. No
congregation of human beings
had a more joyous time for one
day, than did this one."

"After the parade, which mov-
ed at noon, and which was never
surpassed as a trades display in
this place, had disbanded and
the throng of people had dined,
the speaking at the park began."

"Hon. Chas. E. Hogg, one of
West Virginia's most eloquent
orators, had charge of the cere-
monies at the speaker's stand,
and his introductory remarks"
were well received. Mr. Hogg
never fails to please and enlight-
en his hearer, and at the conclu-
sion of his remarks introduced
Mrs. Judge Poffenbarger, who
opened the speaking with an ad-
dress listened to by the throng
of people with marked attention,
and which was eloquent and in-
structive."

"Col. Bennett Young, of Jassa-
mine County, Kentucky, mem-
ber of Congress from his dis-
trict, was introduced and to say
his address was eloquent, logical
and interesting, is but a triffle,
for the marked attention of his
hearers was undisturbed. He

126

is a fluent speaker and one would
never tire listening to him."

"Next to be introduced was Mr.
Lewis Reed Campbell, who re-
cited a beautiful poem entitled
"Our Heroes." This was one
of the most beautiful, and being
prepared as it was, only a few
hours before the hour for deliv-
ery, places our young friend at
the maximum. The manner in
which this beautiful poem was
delivered was pleasing in the ex-
treme and delighted the im-
mense crowd who listened with
marked attention."

"Gen. Chas. H. Grosvener, of
Ohio, was next introduced, who
made, as all know, an address
second to none. The General
is one of Ohio's influential and
honored sons, and when he ap-
peared on the speaker's stand, a
smile of pleasure and gratifica-
tion covered every face in the
audience. General Grosvener's
remarks were listened to atten-
tively, and his eulogy to our
martyred President, was pa-
thetic. Concluding his remarks,
General Grosvener said it would
be well for Great Britain, had
she a commander like "Corn-
stalk" at the head of her forces
in South Africa, which was met
with a round of applause."

"Space and time will not permit
us to report this celebration as
we would like to, but those who
were here had a good time, en-
joyed themselves and left our

little city with the wish to soon
return."

"The short-comings of our re-
port of this big day are attribut-
ed to the absence of the editor in
chief, and had he been at the
helm, our "chases" would not
have held the flow from his pen
and our "machines" would have
been sorely overtaxed."

The Mail Tribune, Charleston,
W. Va., Oct. 12, 1901, says:
"POINT PLEASANT
Celebrates Important Anniver-
sary. Remarkable Demon-
stration in Honor

of the

Famous Battle.

Col. Bennet Young, of Ky., and
Gen. Grosvener, of Ohio,
Principal Speakers."

"Point Pleasant, W. Va , Oct.
10th, 1901 was the proudest
and most memorable in the
life of this historic community.
Before an assembly of 10,000
persons, many of whom had
come half way across the conti-
nent to be present, when the
beautiful grounds at the junc-
ture of the Kanawha and Ohio
rivers was for ever dedicated to
the memory of the gallant Vir-
ginians, who, 127 years ago
gave the first manifestation
of that valor which, in after
years, broke the power of
Great Britain and made this
continent the abiding place of
civil liberty."

"No spot in the Ohio Valley is

127

so full of historic significance as
this old town of Point Pleasant,
and no spot will be more beauti-
ful when the towering- granite
shaft to be erected at an estimate
of $50,000.00, shall greet the eye
uf the stranger as he approaches
this true cradle of liberty."

"Gen. Chas. H. Gresvener, of
Ohio, in his speech, said in part:

"It is pleasant on this October
day to reflect that here on the
banks of the beautiful Ohio,
then so remote from the center
and homes of our ancestors as to
be terra incognita to the peo-
ple of our country and of the
world there should have been
struck that which turned out to
be the first great blow for Ameri-
can Independence and American
Liberty. Figure it as you may,
the battle whose anniversary we
here today celebrate was the
first real blow of the Revolution-
ary War. Nobody so understood
it. Grant that; who understood
what was to flow from Lexington
or Concord or even from Bunker
Hill? What was the name of the
man who foresaw when the
spring time grass of Massachu-
setts was reddened with the
blood of patriots at Lexington
that the blood was to sanctify
the soil and result in the rights
of the people for self govern-
ment. Lord Dunmore was loyal
to the source from which he de-
rived his official dignity and
official position. He was how-

ever, as appears by the records,
not quite the open manly frank
man that Americans love to rec-
ognize and honor. When he
came to the mouth of the Big
Hock-hocking river, under prom-
ise to join the troops that he
supposed were subordinate to
him, he failed to join them for
the manifest purpose of weaken-
ing their forces and thus enable
the Indians to overcome the set-
tlers. While he was not acting
that manly, o p e.n and above
board part which Americans love
to honor and recognize, but if
the reports are true and conclu-
sions are allowable, Lord Dun-
more was guilty of an act of the
basest treachery and a manifest
purpose of the most inhuman
outrage. But it cannot be lost
sight of that even in this, shame-
ful as his conduct was, he was
acting in furtherance of his pur-
poses to aid the government to
which he owed allegiance. It
may be that in his horoscope he
saw the coming of the overthrow
of British power in the colonies
and the organization of a new
government and the stripping of
the British Crown of all it held
so dear in the United States.
However, much we may con-
demn, from the standpoint of
our own sympathy, all and sin-
gular in their behalf, there is
nevertheless more or less of mi-
tigation of wrong and treachery
and double dealing in the fact

128

that he was doing it all in behalf
of the country and sovereignty to
which he owed allegiance. The
colonies were proposing to fight
for mitigation of the wrongs of
unequal and unjust taxation and
the refusal to them of the right
of representation in the British
law making body and yet out of
that little movement which I
have shown was only for the
mitigation of wrong, came this
the great idea, so suddenly de-
veloped, of independence, and
from it has come all the glory of
a mighty and united country."

While William Hunter, an em-
inent Ohio writer, of the Chili-
cothie Advertiser, says:

"It give us pleasure to note
that the battle of Point Pleasant
is called the first battle of the
Revolutionary War by tohse who
are celebrating the anniversary,
although questioned by New En-
gland historians who seem to be
lieve that the whole war was
fought in a radius of twenty miles
of Boston, and the most has been
made of every little skirmish in
that region, while the battles in
the Western country are not
even mentioned."

State Historian V. A. Lewis
again says, in the West Virginia
Historical Magazine, of the bat
tie.

"It is the greatest event in the
colonial period and stands just
at its close. With it the Revolu-
tionary Period begins. Hence

the battle is as it were the con-
necting link between two of the
great periods in all American
History. Closing as it does the
one, and opening the other.

Edward Ingle, writing in the
Manufacturer's Record, in No-
vember, 1901, on the Preserva-
tion of Virginia's Antiquities,
says:

"Andrew Lewis, not a Virgin-
ian, but yet a type of the rear-
guard of the Revolution, fought
successfully at Point Pleasant
in 1774, that which was really the
first battle of that struggle and a
battle far reaching in its signifi-
cant results."

While a bill introduced by Sen-
ator Scott passed the Senate in
1905, carrying an appropriation,
Senator Scott wrote and offered
his personal check for one thous-
and dollars with which to erect
•

the monument if the commission
would abandon the idea of secur-
ing aid from the National Con-
gress. A hasty conference of
friends of the movement was
held and the offer declined, as
the agitators of the monument
building were not only anxious
that the Government should ap-
propriate adequate funds, but
that it should officially recognize
the battle as one of those of the
Revolution; so the offer of Sena-
tor Scott was politely declined.
Congressman Hughes pressed
the passage of the bill at that
time in the lower house of Con-

129

gress. Hon. J. T. McCleary,
Chairman of the Committee to
which .the bill was referred,
wrote a letter to Mr. Hughes, as
follows:

"As I advised you yesterday,
the committee adopted a policy
more than a year ago as its policy
for this Congress, that of making
no appropriations for monuments
to be erected outside of Washing-
ton."

The monument commission as-
sisted by Mrs. Poffenbarger,
then hastened to Charleston,
where the Legislature was then
in session, and the Charleston
Mail gives, in part, the following:

"Mrs. Livia Simpson-Poffen-
barger arrived here Thursday
from her home at Point Pleasant,
to aid in securing an appropria-
tion for a Point Pleasant
Battle Monument. She has at-
tended a part of two former ses-
sions of the Legislature for the
same purpose. When seen by
a Mail reporter in the office of
her husband Judge George Pof-
fenbarger, of the Supreme
Court, she said in response to
the question, when asked what
the prospect for an appropria-
tion is?"

"It is the first time I have ever
believed we would get an appro-
priation when it was asked for.
I believe now we are going to get
it. We expect to get a recom-
mendation for an appropriation
through the Joint Finance Com-

mittee, and if we get a favorable
report from the committee we
have "crossed the Alps'" for
there is positively no opposition
to it this year outside of whether
or not there will be available
funds."

"What amount have you asked
for, Mrs. Poffenbarger?"

"i had a most courteous hear-
ing before the committee who
had previously heard the mem-
bers of the Monument Com-
mittee and I asked for $25,000,00,
payable $5,000.00 annually."

"But can the state make an ap-
propriation Governing five
years?"

"No, but they can for two and
the appropriation may be for a
monument not to exceed $25,000.-
00 expense to the state of West
Virginia, $5,00.00 of which is
available now and $5,000.00 next
year, and the rest may be im-
plied, as in the case of the appro-
priation made for the West Vir-
ginia Hospital at a cost of $80,-
000, $10,000.00 of which was
available when appropriated."

Here followed the history of
the effort made for the erection
of a monument.

Mrs. Poffenbarger telegragh-
ed her paper-

• 'Charleston, W. Va.,

February 28, 1905.
The State Gazette—

The Senate at 6:30 P. M. pass-
ed an amendent to the Appropri-

130

ation Bill of $2,500.00 for this year
and $2,500.00 for 1906. The hill
still has to go back to the Mouse
for concurrence and if it tails
there, will go to a conference
commitee."

The amendment was offered
by Senator E. S. McCown, of the
Fourth Senatorial District. His
speech was one of his best ef-
forts while Senator Darst work-
ed heart and soul for the appro-
priation. The amendment failed
to pass the house, but was saved
in the Joint Conference com-
mittee where by herculean work
the building of a battle monu-
ment at Point Pleasant was as-
sured. The state had once
again assumed the responsibility
and every year since the Legis-
lature has appropriated money
with which to build the monu-
ment. Except this appropria-
tion for 1906 and 1907, all has
been vetoed except that of
$1,000.00 made in 1909, because
of lack of funds as announced
by Governor Dawson.

Feb, 15, 1906, Hon. James A.
Hughes, who was pressing Con-
gress for an appropriation for
funds with which to build the
monument wrote as follows from
Washington :

Mrs. LiviaSimpson-Poffenbarger

Point Pleasant, W. Va.
I am in receipt of a letter from
Mr. Austin who states that it is
the opinion of the Monument

Committee of your place that the
amount asked for be reduced
from $50,000.00 to $10,000.00."

"The amount carried in the bill
does not amount to anything as
the committee would only appro-
priate such an amount as they
saw fit and would be governed by
the wishes of the committee. I
will introduce another bill carry-
ing $10,000.00 instead of $50,000.-
00 as in the present bill. I had a
talk with Mr. McCleary, and he
told me that the committee still
had under consideration the ad-
visability of whether they would
make any appropriations outside
of the City of Washington.
So far, they have not come to any
conclusion. I had a talk with
Senator Scott in regard to this
appropriation and he doubted
very much whether they would
make any appropriation outside
the City of Washington and he
advises that this monument
should be erected and that it
should be done by private sub-
scription and in addition to what
the State had alread}' appropri-
ated he said he would be glad to
head the list with a private sub-
scription."

"Now I want to advise you
frankly about this, if the Libra-
ry Committee of the House re-
fuses to make any appropria-
tions for monuments, outside of
the City of Washington, I think
it will be useless to press the
matter further, and I think it

131

would be well to consider the
suggestion of Senator Scott.

I will be glad to hear from you
in reference to the matter.
Very truly yours,

J. A. Hughes."

To the above letter, Mrs. Pof-
fenbarger replied:

"We do not ask that the Con-
gress of the United States build
the Battle Monument at Point
Pleasant because the funds can-
not be raised by private sub-
scription or secured as an ap-
propriation from the State of
West Virginia, but because we
want the Government to official-
ly recognize the batttle as it was
in truth a battle of the Revolu-
tion, indeed, the First Battle of
the Revolution, and no matter
how insignificant the approation,
it the bill correctly states its
status we will be content to raise
the money necessary as best we
can, although we want as large
an appropriation as we can get.
While we appreciate the generosi-
ty of Senator Scott, should he do-
nate the entire amount necessary
it would fail in our main purpose
of having the government official-
ly credit the battle the honor it
deserves and we will have again
to decline his offer and insist
that you both press the matter
before Congress so vigorously as
to ultimately bring- the desired
result. Again thanking you and
Senator Scott for your past ef-

forts and expecting renewed
zeal, I am

Very truly
Livia Simpson-Poffenbarger."

That the Congress of the Un-
ited States was still importuned
is evidenced by the fact that on
December 4, 1907, Senator N. B,
Scott introduced Senate Bill 160
which was favorably reported
February 17. 1908, without
amendment, as follows:

"A BILL to aid in the erection
of a monument or memorial at
Point Pleasant, West Virginia,
to commemorate the Battle of
tho Revolution fought at that
point between the Colonial troops
and Indians October tenth,
seventeen hundred and seventy-
four."

An identical bill was introduc-
ed in the lower House of Con-
gress by Hon. James A. Hughes.

A Telegram, as follows,
brought the first intelligence to
Point Pleasant that the bill had
passed both branches of Con-
gress:

Mrs. LiviaSimpson-Poffenbarger

Congress appropriated $10,-

000.00 for a battle monument at

Point Pleasant Congratulations.

James A. Hughes.
Washington, D. C '

The Monument Commission
got busy and realizing that the
introduction of new methods of
monument building, lasting as

132

the pyramids of Egypt, had
been introduced, by which the
monument could be built with the
money available, a contract was
let for the monument at a cost at
the factory of $15,000.00, the
shipment and erection of which
would make a total cost of $16,-
000. The monument to be built
of Balfour granite, the statue
thereon to be of Westerly gran-
ite. The shaft is an obelisk
with a base twenty-four feet
square, the height to be eighty-
two feet. The statue is to be
that of a colonial soldier of the
primitive Virginia style, dressed
in hunting shirt, coon skin cap,
leather breeches and long rifle.
The whole to he completed for
the unveiling of the monument
on the One Hundred and Thirty-
fifth anniversary of the battle of
Point Pleasant, October, 10,
1909.

The Monument Commission
on June 10, 1909, issued the fol-
lowing announcement:

"ATTENTION CITIZENS.

A general invitation is extend-
ed for a citizen's meeting at the
Court House at Point Pleasant
on Thursday June 10th at 8 P.
M. to make preparations for the
celebration of the Battle of Point
Pleasant, the unveiling of the
monument and Home Coming
Week, under the auspices of the
Mayor and Civil Authority of the
town of Point Pleasant, and in-

terested citizens of the town,
county and state.
Signed,

John P. Austin,
President of the Monument
Committee.'"

There was a large and enthus-
iastic meeting held in response
to the call. Judge John Lamar
Whitten, Mayor of the town, who
presided, was elected as the
permanent chairman of arrange-
ments for a West Virginia Home
Coming Week, Celebration of the
Battle and Unveiling of the Mon-
ument, October 7-8-9-10, 1909.
The others appointed to further
the success of the proper ob-
servance of the battle were the
following Committees in charge
of the Celebration.

Organization.

Crairman, Mayor John L.
WKitten.

Secretary, E. Jacob Somerville.

Asst. Secretary, Warren C.
Whaley.

Grand Marshall, Col. John P.
R. B. Smith.

Assistants, Lewis C. Somer-
ville, Peter Higgins Steenbergen,
Edward Barto Jones.

Committee at Large.

Hon. John P. Austin, Presi-
dent Monument Commission;
Monument Commissioners, Hon.
V. A. Lewis and Mr. C. C. Bow-
yer; Mayor, Judge John L. Whit-
ten. Col. John P. R. B. Smith and

133

Mrs. Livia Nye Simpson-Poffen

burger.

Finance Committee.

Joseph Friedman, Chairman,
Peter Higgins Steenbergen, Ed-
ward K. Thomas, Peter S. Lewis,
Griff T. Smith, Tol Stribling,
Hon. J. Samuel Spencer, John G.
Stortz, Point Pleasant; R. J. Pat-
terson, Maggie; William R.
Thompson, Huntington; Charles
.Cameron Lewis, Jr., Ex-Gover-
nor Wm. A. McCorkle, Hon. Jno.
O. Dickenson, Charleston; Ex-
Governor A. B. Fleming, Fair-
mont.

Invitation Committee

Governor Wm. E. Glasscock,
Senator Stephen B. Elkins, Sena-
tor Nathan B. Scott, Hon. James
A. Hughes, Judge Ira E. Robin-
son, Judge George Poffenbarger
of West Virginia; Col. H. R.
Howard, John E. Beller, Robert
E. Mitchell, B. H. Blagg, Andrew
Lewis Boggess, Charles C. Lew-
is, H. Green Nease, Hon. George
W. Cossin, James M. H. Beale,
Hon. J. Samuel Spencer
Judge John W. English,
Judge Wm. A. Parsons, Point
Pleasant; Hon. E. O. Randall,
Columbus, Ohio; Hon. W. Sid-
ney Laidley, William Burdette
Mathews, Charles C. Lewis, Sr.,
John Q. Dickenson of Charleston;
Gen'l. Charles H. Grosvenor and
Hon. Jerry Longfellow Carpen-
ter, Athens, Ohio; Hon, Edmond
Sehon, Dr. Lewis V. Guthrie

and Louis Sehon Pomeroy, of
Huntington.

Trades Display

Robert J. Heslop, Charles K.
Blackwood, Charles E. Jones,
David S. Snyder, James Walter
Winden, Mark Shiflet, Horton
Roseberry, Joseph W. Rhoades,
Will Filson, John C. Franklin,
Ed. Lawhead, H. H. Henry,
C. Frederick Hess, Captain
C. ' H o m e r V a r i a n, Rob-
ert Kiger, James Stephenson,
George Miller, John Wells, Geo.
W. M. Hooff, Alexander B. Mc-
Culloch, James Cavenaugh,
James B. Tippett, F. B. Tippett.
Lemuel Shiflet, Hugo Juhling,
Jr., Bertram L. Burdette, Frank
Fadley, Enos B. Thomas, H. W.
Ellis, Dr. Ed McElfresh, Jacob
P. Hetherington, L. J. Coley,
Peter C. McDade, W. A. Wil-
liams, Harry M. Langley.

Decoration and Speakers Stand

Frank Filson, B. Franklin, Jr.,
Charles Russell McCulloch, Wm.
H. H. Gardner, J. Floyd Burdett,
S. Waldo Swisher, Alonzo Walk-
er, Enos, C. Winger, John W. C.
Heslop, Ed A. Arrington, Ed-
ward W. Craig, Geo. P. Gardner,
Wm. Tully, John Love, Sam'l
Lutton, Fredrick Capes, Charles
Dashner, G. E. Mathews, Mes-
darnes Harry E. Burnside, Wm.
Steenbergen, Robert E. Mitchell,
Edward McElfresh, Rush H.
Burnside, Edward J Burnside,
Lem Shiflet, Samantha J. Baum,
Wm. Steinbach, Mrs. M. Fried-

134

man, Mrs. Kate Williams, Mrs.
J. W. English, Mrs. Robert P.
Lynch, Mrs. Ella Fenton, Mrs.
Horton Roseberry, Mrs, E. H.
Woelffel, Mrs. Wm. Kenny, Mrs.

E. H. Armstrong, Mrs. H. A.
Barbee, Mrs. James B. Tippett,
Mrs. Wm. C. Stortz, Mrs. J.

F. Burdett, Mrs. B. Franklin, Jr.,
Mrs. George Comstock, Mrs.
Joseph H. Holloway, Mrs. Asha-
bel Hughes, Misses Edith Tip-
pett, Maud Kisar, Reba Beale,
Hattie Price, Mary Lewis, Venie
and Jessie Thomas, Mrs. Homer
Smith, Mrs. E. B. Jones, Mrs.
Wm. E. Hayman, Mrs. W. C.
Whaley, Mrs. Tol Stribling.

Advertising Committee

Homer Smith, Dr. W. P.
Neale, Marcus Friedman, War-
ren C. Whaley, Charles C. Lewis,
Edward C. Berridge, Dr. Ed.
McElfresh, John F. Lewis and
James B. Tippett.

Entertainment Committee

Griff T. Smith, Howard L.
Robey, Lesley L. Neale, Geo. C.
Somerville, Dr. Frank V. Butch-
er, Ed Filson, Wm. Steinbach,
Howard Long, Geo. W. Long,
John L. Hutchinson, E. H.
Woelffel, W. W. Riley, R. P.
Liter, Lem Shiflet Jr., Point
Pleasant; John D. Lewis, Phil
Walker, John Baker White,
Charleston; Lycergus N. Knight
Maggie; M. G. Tyler, H. E. Spil-
man, Dr. Richard Stone, Spilman,
Dr. Charles Petty, Hartford;
Mesdames John Samuel Spencer.

Charies Clendenin Bowyer, John
L. Whitten, Charles C. Lewis,
John Daniel McCulloch, H. Green
Nease, John W. C. Heslop,
L. J. Williamson, Rankin Wiley,
John McCulloch, Frank Fil-
son, Wm. P. Neale, Peter Hig-
gins Steenbergen, Hiram R.
Howard, J. H. Wade, Jackson
Lee Pannel, Charles Russell Mc-
Culloch, James W. Windon, Pat-
rick F. Ryan, John P. Austin,
Robert P. Liter, Howard^ L.
Robey, E. Barto Jones, Joseph
Friedman, E. B. Sisler, B. Frank
lin, Jr., E. E. Thomas, Mary
Margaret Bryan, Homer Smith,
Ben Franklin, Sr , S. W. Swish-
er, Walter Lincoln; Misses
Josephine Howard, Irene Bow-
yer, Lillie Lee Hogg, Elizabeth
Harding Hogg, Julia Polsley,
Ada Gilmore, Cornelia Smith,
V e v a Haptonstall, Margaret
Lynn Neale, Gertrude Howard,
Edith Tippett, Venie and Jessie
Thomas, Kate Stribling, Lena
L. Roseberry, of Point Pleas-
ants; Mrs. Geo. W. Gist and
Miss Maggie Hayman, Le-
tart; Mrs. W. L. Lawson and
Miss May Jackson, New Haven;
Mrs. M. M. Brown, Mrs. D. E.
Newton, Hartford; Mrs. Joseph
H. Windon, Maggie; Mrs. V. A.
Lewis, Mrs. W. E. Ruttencutter,
Mrs. L. E. Bletner, Misses
Maud and Annie Lewis, Mason;
Mesdames John McCoach, Ed-
mond Sehon, Columbus Sehon,
Taylor Vinson, Wm. R. Thomp-

135

son, Mary Lesage, Margaret
Lynn Harvey, C. R. Thompson
and James A. Hughes, Hunting-
ton; Mrs. Kate Sterrett, Mrs.
Wm. H. Vaught, Mrs. John
Thornberg, Five Mile; Mrs. M.
Ella Hutcbinson, Henderson;
Miss Lizzie Smith, McCausland;
Miss Francis M. Maupin, Ar-
buckle; Mrs. Charles E. Mc-
Culloch, Five Mile; Miss Rhoda
Long, Mrs. Monroe Poffenbar-
ger, South Side; Mrs. C. A.
Green, Otia; Mrs. James Hen-
derson, Five Mile; Dr. A. G.
Martin, F. M. Middleton, Win-
field; Dr. C. McGill, Red
House; Robert Brown, O. F.
Stribling, Apple Grove; John H.
S. Spencer, Graham Station; F.
C. Hute, John C. Levzey, L.
Quickie, Thos. L. Finney, Pliny,
Frank Dunn, South Side; George
L. Sebrell, E. B. Nease, Ar-
buckle; Will Armstrong, Gallipo-
lis; Dr. Blake, R. E. Blake, Hen-
ry McCoy, J. B. Frazier, Buf-
falo; Robt. Somerville, Maggie;
W. W. Cornwall, Glen wood;
Earl Henry, Clifton; A. G. W.
Brinker, A. C. Cross, Thos. Z.
Blessing, Letart.

Speakers Committee

Col. H. R. Howard, Capt. W.
H. Howand, Wm. E. Hayman,
Judge George Poffenbarger,
Robt. L. Hutchinson, Hon. J. S.
Spencer, Benjamin Franklin, Sr.,
Enos B. Thomas, Dr. E. J.
Mossman, Carlisle L. Whaley,
Rev. J. H. Gibbons, Rev. Pullin,

Rev. R. P. Bell, O. A. Roush,
Geo. McClintock, Capt. Rush H.
Burnside, Benjamin H. Blagg.
Music Committee

E, B. Sisler, J. H. Norton. B.
F. Gibbs, A. C. Van Gilder,
Charles K. Black wood, Lew Mc-
Millen, Rankin Wiley, John G.
Aten, Wm. Steenbergen, Dr.
John Fadley, Mesdames Mary
Margaret Bryan, J. M. H. Beale,
Carlisle L. Whaley, Eliza Wag-
goner, Charles Filson, Nannie E.
Hale, Kossuth T. McKinstry,
Misses Josephine Beale, Ger-
trude Howard, and Margaret
Malone, Mrs. W. C. Whaley.

Program Committee

Lewis C. Somerville, Judge,
George Poffenbarger, Col. Hiram
R. Howard, Howard L. Robey,
Robt. L. Hutchinson, Charles
Buxton, Judge John W. English.

Transportation Committee

Wm. C. Jordan, L. C. Kuhn,
Moulton Houk, F. Gerald Mus-
grave, B. H Blagg, Wallace A.
Barnett, John McCulloch Dr.
Hugh A. Barbee, Wm. W.Bryan,
Ed. C. Berridge, Capt. E. A.
Burnside, Fred Smith, Capt. E,
E. Varian, Capt. John Thorn-
berg, Gus Fry, Jos. L. Ruth,
Elmer Nutter, E. B. Martin,
Capt. Gordan C. Greene, J. W
Hooper.

School Children

Prof. H. E. Cooper of Point
Pleasant and the teachers of
Mason County.

Advisory Committee

Messrs. John W. Steenbergen,

136

Beale; Wm. J. Keister, Ashton;
Clinton Poffenbarger, Mason
Long, Beech Hill; James W.
Long-, Hon. Jabez Beard, South
Side; E. F. Bletner, W. E. Rut-
tencutter, Mason; Charles Juhl-
ing, Hon. J. M. Hensley, J. M.
Chapman, D. E. Newton, Capt.
M. M. Brown, Hartford; Judge
W. W. Jackson, Geo. N. Capehart,
W. L. Lawson, C. T. Bumgarner,
New Haven; Geo. W. Gist, Dan
Sayre, Wm. Klingensmith, Le-
tart; Philip Click, Willow Tree,
Judge Byrd Stone, W. P. Smith,
Fred Sullivan, Wm. Jividen,
Charles F. Thomas Leon; Judge
W. H. Vaught, Robert P. Mor-
ris, Henry Fry, Henderson;
James Henderson, Rankin Hill,
Henderson; Hon. Jas. L. Knight,
Messrs. Asa Musgrave, James
W. Windon, Jos. H. Windon, H.
J. Norton, Judge B. J. Redmond,
Dr. A. R. Girard, Hon. Geo.
Parsons, Pleasant Flats; Capt.
L. S. Parsons, John R. Couch,
Hearne. W. H. Sayre, Chas. W.
Hogsett, Wm. H. Rowsey, C. A.
Green, of Hannan District, Shep-
herd W. Moore, Elwell; Geo. W.
Pullin, C. G. P. Musgrave, Deb-
by; Geo. J. Meadough, James W.
Kindey, W. H. Clarke, J. W.
Bryan, Ash Hughes, W. H. Zum-
bro, Point Pleasant; John Mc-
Causland, Jr., Jno, R. Couch, B.
K Bell, Hearne, R. W. Bateman,
S. A. McNiel, Mercers Bottom,
Judge J. L. Thome, Wyoma.
Col. Jerome T.Bowyer, Winfield;

B. J. Lerner, Hartford; John
J. Dower, Letart; Jas. T. Ed-
wards, Clifton; H. C. Tur-
ner, Mason; David Caldwell, Gal-
lipolis Ferry; Judge A. M. Pugh,
Col. John L. Vance, Columbus,
Ohio; Gen'l. John McCausland,
McCausland; James M. Nye,
Marrietta, Ohio; Mrs. Samaria,
H. Palmer; Athens Ohio; Miss
Margaret Lynn Price, Lewis-
burg, Mrs. Miram Donnally,
Mrs. E. W. Wilson, Charles-
ton; Mrs. Sanders Johnston,
Dr. Adeline E. Portman,
Washington, D. C.; Mrs. Anna
S. Greene, Culpeper, Virginia;
Miss Mary C. Nye, Marrietta,
Ohio; Mrs. Sophia Dale, Belpre,
Ohio; Mrs. M. C. Scott, Pomer.oy,
Ohio

The State Gazette of August
15th, gives the following:

"On Monday August 2nd, 1009,
at 11 a. m. the steam whistle on
Captain Charles Homer Varian's
pumpboat, lying in the mouth of
Kanawha river, sounded a gJad
cry that was lustily joined in by
the many steamboats lying in
harbor. Our people came out in
great crowds to learn the cause,
and the on coming tide of people
were directed to Tu-Endie-Wei
Park, where had just been set
the apex stone that completed
the stone work of the splendid
Balfour granite monument, com-
memorating The First Battle of
the Revolution, fought at Point
Pleasant, October 10th, 1774.

137

It was an occasion that for
many years has been devoutly
wished for, and there were many
upon the grounds prior to the
blowing- of the whistles, who
for years had watched every
step of the preparation for
the monument building Among
them were Mrs. J. D. McCul-
loch, who was a member of the
Ladies Monument Association,
that put by the first contribution,
which with its accumulations,
represented $2,000 invested in
the Monument; Mr. C. C. Bow-
yer of the Monument Commis-
sion, who have so faithfully la-
bored in the cause entrusted to
them by the State; and Mrs.
Poffenbarger whose interest has
never lag-ged, and it was her
little son, Perry Simpson-Poffen-
barger, who suggested, and in-
duced Capt. Varian to start the
whistles.

The monument has been erect-
ed so speedily that our people
can scarcely believe it is so near-
ly completed. This is accounted
for by the fact that the stones
were cut and numbered and
ready for placing-, and needed lit-
tle cutting- when they came upon
the grounds. The Van-Amringe
Granite Company of Boston, are
the contractors, with Mr. J. E.
Amedon of Merchants Depot, of
Vermont, as the superintendent
of construction here. Captain
Charles Fredrick Hess was the
contractor, not only for the

splendid cement walks and walls,
but for the cement work of the
Monument, and the great under-
footing- was laid prior to June 7th,
when the first carload of granite
reached here.

On June 9th, the corner stone
was laid. There were no cere-
monies attending- it and no depos-
its made save that of a small coin
of the issue 1909, the year of the
Monument construction.
However, as is the custom in the
erection of such structures, a box
was deposited in this monument.
It was found that in the cen-
ter tube in the top section imme-
diately under the great cap stone
that binds the building, there was
room to admit a box three inches
in diameter and twelve inches
long. Filson Brothers were call-
ed upon to construct a copper box
of these dimensions and make it
air tight. In it were deposited an
Industrial Edition of The State
Gazette of the issue, of February
2nd, 1905, upon which was written
the following inscription:

"Deposited, Monday, August
2d, 1909, the date of the setting-
of the cap stone of the Point
Pleasant Battle Monument, by
Nathan Simpson Poffenbar-
ger and Perry Simpson Pof-
fenbarger, sons" and Nata-
lie Simpson Bryan, niece of
Geo. and Livia Nye Simp-
son-Poff enbarg-er. ' '
A copy of the diary written by
Margaret Lynn Lewis, wife of

138

John Lewis the emigrant and
a founder of the chy of
Staunton, Virginia, was placed
in the tube upon which was the
following' inscription:

"Deposited, August 2nd, 1909,
the date of the setting of the cap-
stone of the Point Pleasant Bat-
tle Monument, by

Sallie Lewis McCulloch,
(Mrs. J. D. McCulloch)
Great, Great Grand daugh-
ter of Margaret Lynn Lewis
and Great Grand daughter
of Col. Charles Lewis. Sallie
Lewis McCulloch (Mrs. P.
H. Steenbergen), Great,
Great Grand daughter of
Col. Chas. Lewis. >'
An Indian arrow bead taken
from the ground when the exca-
vation was made, was put in the
box and with it a slip of paper
bearing the following":

"This Indian arrow head is
deposited by C. F. Hess, con-
tractor for the cement work of
this monument. It was found
when the excavation was made."
The most important deposit
made however, was a copy of
"The Battle of Point Pleasant,"
bearing the following inscription:
"Deposited, Monday, August
2d, 1909, the date of the setting
of the cap stone of the Point
Pleasant Battle Monument.

"The illustrations and last
pages are omitted on account of
the inability of the printer to
finish the volume bv the date of

the completion of the monument.
Livia Nye Simpson-Poffenbarger
The Author."

This was the most valuable
because, though not quite com-
pleted, it carried the most com-
plete roster of the participants
of the battle ever as yet publish-
ed, that of 1080 men who partici-
pated at Point Pleasant and were
entitled to share in the honors of
this victory.

When the last stone bad been
set in place, Mr. Amedon pre-
sented Mrs. Poffenbarger the
two remaining blocks of granite
from which will be made sou-
venirs of the monument.

The statue which is to be
placed on a base in the front of
the monument has not reached
here, nor have the eight bronze
plates in bas relief, two of
which bearing the coat of arms
of the United States and of West
Virginia, and six of which bear
the inscription of the killed and
wounded and the officers com-
manding the army, but they
have been shipped and will be
here to be put in place by Mr.
Amedou upon his return from
St. Louis, less than three weeks
hence. Upon his return, the
monument will be pointed up,
the statue and plates set and
the monument veiled ready for
the ceremonial attendant upon
the unveiling of October 9th,
1909.

139
INDEX

APPROPRIATIONS

By Congress 131

By Ladies Monument Association 96

By West Virginia Legislature 110 129

CELEBRATIONS

October 10, 1860 96

October 10, 1774 102

October 10, 1901 124

October 10, 1909 132

DEDICATION OF TU-ENDIE-WEI PARK

Description of the Battle 26-28-29

History of the Monument Building- 95

Killed and Wounded 28

Roster of Participants 84

BIOGRAPHIES

Bailey James , 72

Bledsoe Anthony 55

Bowen Wm 68

Bracken Matthew 78

Breckenridge Alexander. 66

Cameron Chas. E ... 57

Campbell Arthur 48

Campbell John • . . 49

Campbell Robert 75

Campbell Wm 47

Carter John 75

Christian Wm 54

Clendenin Archibald 64

Clendenin George : • 65

Clendenin William 63

Cocke Wm 55

Cooper Leonard i 58

Cornstalk 80

Crawford John 54

Crockett Joseph 50

Curry James • 77

140

Davis Azariah 47

Dickinson John 55

Drake Joseph 69

Draper John 47

Dunmore Lord 78

Eastham George 61

Edmiston Wm 69

Ewing Wm 71

Fleming- Col. Wm 44

Floyd Capt. John 66

Frogg John .... 73

Gibbs Luman 60

Hackett Thomas 76

Hamilton Wm 78

Harlon Silas 57

Harrison Benjamin 52

Harrod James 53

Henderson John 60

Herbert Wm 66

Hughes Ellis 56

Hughey Joseph 56

Ingles Thomas 69

Ingles Wm 66

Jones John 46

Kimberling Elijah 71

Knox James 71

Lewis Gen'l Andrew 39

Lewis Col. Charles 40

Lewis Benjamin 67

Lewis Mayor John (son of Wm.) ... 63

Lewis Capt. John (son of Thos.) 73

Lewis Capt. John (son of Gen'l Andrew) 76

Logan 79

Logan Benjamin 64

Logan John 65

Love Philip 56

Lyle John 73

Madison John 71

Matthews George . . 49

Matthews Sampson SO

Mayes Joseph 48

141

Me A ffcc George 70

M cAtTee James 70

McAffee Robert 70

McAffee Samuel 70

McAffee Wm 70

McCorkle Wm 73

McDowell Capt. (Judge) Samuel 52

McKee Wm. 71

Moffatt George 72

Montgomery James. 54

Moore Gen. Andrew 49

Moore Wm 73

Murry John ' 72

Newman Walter 73

Posey Thomas 62

Pauley Henry 70

Ramsey Joseph 68

Robertson James 51

Robertson Wm 73

Russell Wm 54

Sawyer John 56

See Michael 77

Sevier John 52

Sevier Valentine - 53

Shelby Evan 45

Shelby Isaac • 45

Slaughter Geo • • 70

Slaughter Francis : • 70

Slaughter Lawrence 70

Slaughter Wm ... 54

Smith John

Simms Charles 72

Steele John 56

Stuart John . . 61

Todd John 57

Trigg Stephen .66

Trimble James

Trotter Wm

Van Bibber John

Van Bibber Isaac

Van Bibber Jesse 58

Van Bibber Peter 58

Warwick Jacob ' 57

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